title: Expansion of beta-cell mass in response to pregnancy.
abstract: Inadequate beta-cell mass can lead to insulin insufficiency and diabetes. During times of prolonged metabolic demand for insulin, the endocrine pancreas can respond by increasing beta-cell mass, both by increasing cell size and by changing the balance between beta-cell proliferation and apoptosis. In this paper, we review recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms that control the adaptive expansion of beta-cell mass, focusing on the islet's response to pregnancy, a physiological state of insulin resistance. Functional characterization of factors controlling both beta-cell proliferation and survival might not only lead to the development of successful therapeutic strategies to enhance the response of the beta-cell to increased metabolic loads, but also improve islet transplantation regimens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rieck
authors.forename: Klaus H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kaestner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D048429:Cell Size; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D011247:Pregnancy