title: No mantle formation in rodent islets -- the prototype of islet revisited.
abstract: Emerging reports on human islets emphasize distinct differences from the widely accepted prototype of rodent islets, raising questions over their suitability for human studies. Here we aim at elucidating architectural differences and similarities of human versus rodent islets. The cellular composition and architecture of human and rodent islets were compared through three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions. Physiological and pathological changes were examined using islets from various mouse models such as non-obese diabetic (NOD), ob/ob, db/db mice and during pregnancy. A subpopulation of human islets is composed of clusters of alpha-cells within the central beta-cell cores, while the overall proportion of alpha-cells varies among islets. In mouse islets under normal conditions, alpha-cells are localized in the islet periphery, but they do not envelop the entire beta-cell core, so that beta-cells are exposed on the outer layer of the islet, as in most human islets. Also, an increased proportion of alpha-cells within the central core is observed in the pancreas of mouse models exhibiting increased demand for insulin. In summary, human and mouse islets share common architectural features as endocrine micro-organs. Since these may hold a key to better understanding islet plasticity, our concept of the prototypic islet should be revised.
authors: Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, MC1027, Chicago, IL 60637, United States.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Kharouta
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: Miller
authors: Abraham
authors: A
authors: Kim
authors: Pawel
authors: P
authors: Wojcik
authors: German
authors: G
authors: Kilimnik
authors: Arunangsu
authors: A
authors: Dey
authors: Donald F
authors: DF
authors: Steiner
authors: Manami
authors: M
authors: Hara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division; D048429:Cell Size; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D050416:Glucagon-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008820:Mice, Obese; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose