Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026
09:16
Mixed Primary Cultures of Murine Small Intestine Intended for the Study of Gut Hormone Secretion and Live Cell Imaging of Enteroendocrine Cells
Published on: April 20, 2017
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor and proglucagon expression in mouse skin
James F List1, Huile He, Joel F Habener
1Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
Regulatory Peptides
|April 25, 2006
Summary
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and its receptor are found in mouse skin, particularly hair follicles. GLP-1 activates pathways promoting skin cell proliferation and differentiation, suggesting a role in skin development.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Dermatology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an insulinotropic hormone regulating glucose homeostasis.
- GLP-1 exerts antidiabetogenic effects by stimulating pancreatic beta-cell proliferation and differentiation.
- The GLP-1 receptor is expressed in various tissues, including the pancreas, brain, and heart.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression and function of the GLP-1 receptor and proglucagon in mouse skin.
- To explore the signaling pathways activated by GLP-1 in skin-derived cells.
- To determine the potential role of GLP-1 in skin development and folliculogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of GLP-1 receptor and proglucagon expression in newborn mouse skin and cultured skin cells.
- Stimulation of cultured skin cells with GLP-1 and assessment of signaling pathway activation (MAPK/ERK, cAMP, Ca2+).
- Evaluation of GLP-1-induced redifferentiation and C-peptide expression in cultured skin cells.
Main Results:
- GLP-1 receptor and proglucagon were detected in mouse skin, primarily in hair follicles.
- GLP-1 activated the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway in cultured skin cells, but not cAMP or Ca2+ pathways.
- GLP-1 treatment induced redifferentiation and C-peptide expression in cultured skin-derived cells.
Conclusions:
- GLP-1 and its receptor are expressed in the skin, suggesting a potential paracrine/autocrine role.
- GLP-1 signaling in skin cells is associated with proliferation, differentiation, and cytoprotection.
- These findings indicate a possible involvement of GLP-1 in skin development and hair follicle formation.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists
Incretins include glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), which stimulate insulin secretion post-meals. In type 2 diabetes, GIP's efficacy is reduced, making GLP-1 a viable drug target. GIP originates from preproGIP.
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by the...
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by the...
01:28Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways
Insulin action is mediated through a receptor tyrosine kinase, akin to the IGF-1 receptor. The number of receptors per cell varies significantly, from 40 on erythrocytes to 300,000 on adipocytes and hepatocytes. The insulin receptor consists of linked α/β subunit dimers, forming a heterotetramer glycoprotein with two extracellular α subunits and two β subunits spanning the membrane. The α subunits inhibit the inherent tyrosine kinase activity of the β subunits, but this inhibition is released...
01:58Cell Specific Gene Expression
Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
01:27Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion
The pancreatic islets comprising only 1%-2% of the volume are highly vascularized and innervated mini-organs. They contain five endocrine cell types, including β cells that secrete insulin, which is synthesized as a single polypeptide chain, preproinsulin, processed to proinsulin, and finally to insulin and C-peptide. This process is complex and regulated, involving the Golgi complex, the endoplasmic reticulum, and the secretory granules of the β cell.
Insulin and C-peptide are co-secreted in...
Insulin and C-peptide are co-secreted in...
01:05Insulin Secretory Vesicles
Insulin secretory vesicles release insulin to stimulate blood glucose uptake and regulate carbohydrate metabolism. When the blood glucose levels increase, glucose enters the pancreatic β-islet cells through glucose transporters. Once inside, glucose is metabolized through glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and the electron transport chain, producing ATP. This increase in ATP concentration closes ATP-sensitive potassium channels, leading to depolarization of the membrane and the opening of...
01:15Hypoglycemia and Glucagon
Without prolonged fasting, healthy individuals maintain blood glucose levels above 3.5 mM due to a well-adapted neuroendocrine counterregulatory system that effectively prevents acute hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition. The primary clinical scenarios for hypoglycemia encompass diabetes treatment, inappropriate production of endogenous insulin or insulin-like substances by tumors, and the use of glucose-lowering agents in non-diabetic individuals. Notably, hypoglycemia in the...