title: In vivo functional heterogeneity among β-cells.
abstract: The concept of functional heterogeneity among β-cells proposes that each cell differs in its sensitivity to glucose and is recruited in a glucose-dependent manner into both biosynthetic and secretory active states in order to adapt insulin secretion to the metabolic environment. Therefore, characterization of β-cell populations with different metabolic sensitivities would lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies. Based on heterogeneous surface PSA-NCAM expression on β-cells, we have recently characterized two groups of cells, namely β(high) and β(low)-cells, in rat. Differences in insulin secretory capacity and in gene expression profiles suggest that β(low)-cells are immature and/or non-functional cells in contrast to highly glucose responsive fully functional β(high)-cells. Moreover, the relative distribution of β(high) and β(low)-cells correlated with physiological and pathological states regarding the functional β-cell mass. Here we summarize our main results on β(high) and β(low)-cell populations and discuss some of the open remaining questions.
authors.affiliation: CNRS EAC, Université Denis Diderot, Paris, France. meliskaraca@gmail.com
authors.forename: Melis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karaca
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015588:Observer Variation; D051381:Rats; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007328:Insulin; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1; D012794:Sialic Acids; C103469:polysialyl neural cell adhesion molecule; D005947:Glucose