title: All together now: exocytose or fail.
abstract: Compact and complex syncytium is a normal cellulo-social context for beta-cells within the healthy pancreatic islet. Optimal cell-to-cell electrical coupling through Connexin36 (Cx36) seems to ensure coordinated plasma membrane depolarization pattern and insulin exocytosis. Both phenomena can be further modulated by rich pancreas innervation. The complex structure and coordinated action develop after birth during fast hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the endocrine tissue and are maintained throughout adult life. The properties that emerge from the structure and coordination can disappear due to various reasons later in life and can lead to glucose intolerance and diabetes mellitus. In majority of cases the islet structure is lost after extensive beta-cell death in long-term hyperglycemia.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Slovenia. marjan.rupnik@uni-mb.si
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rupnik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D017630:Connexins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D000097004:Gap Junction delta-2 Protein
chemical_list: D017630:Connexins; D007328:Insulin; D000097004:Gap Junction delta-2 Protein