Abstract
The alpha cells that coinhabit the islets with the insulin-producing beta cells have recently captured the attention of diabetes researchers because of new breakthrough findings highlighting the importance of these cells in the maintenance of beta cell health and functions. In normal physiological conditions alpha cells produce glucagon but in conditions of beta cell injury they also produce glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a growth and survival factor for beta cells. In this review we consider these new findings on the functions of alpha cells. Alpha cells remain somewhat enigmatic inasmuch as they now appear to be important in the maintenance of the health of beta cells, but their production of glucagon promotes diabetes. This circumstance prompts an examination of approaches to coax alpha cells to produce GLP-1 instead of glucagon.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Review
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Cell Dedifferentiation
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Cell Lineage / physiology
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Cell Transdifferentiation
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Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / physiopathology*
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Enteroendocrine Cells / physiology
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Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
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Glucagon / physiology
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Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / biosynthesis
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Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / physiology*
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Glucagon-Secreting Cells / pathology
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Glucagon-Secreting Cells / physiology*
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Homeodomain Proteins / physiology
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Humans
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Hyperplasia
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Insulin-Secreting Cells / physiology
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Islets of Langerhans / ultrastructure
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Mice
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Paired Box Transcription Factors / physiology
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Proprotein Convertase 1 / deficiency
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Signal Transduction / physiology
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Transcription Factors / physiology
Substances
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ARX protein, mouse
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Homeodomain Proteins
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Paired Box Transcription Factors
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Pax4 protein, mouse
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Transcription Factors
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Glucagon-Like Peptide 1
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Glucagon
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Proprotein Convertase 1