Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion01:27

Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion

1.3K
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...
1.3K
Cells and Secretions of the Pancreas01:16

Cells and Secretions of the Pancreas

2.2K
The pancreas, a vital organ within the abdominal cavity, plays dual roles in the digestive and endocrine systems, collaborating with exocrine and endocrine cells to maintain optimal digestion and blood sugar levels.
Exocrine function is carried out by acinar cells, organized into clusters known as acini. These cells contribute to digestion by releasing substantial quantities of enzyme-rich, alkaline digestive juices.
Concurrently, the dispersed clusters of endocrine cells throughout the...
2.2K
Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose01:16

Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose

3.4K
Insulin is released by beta cells of the pancreas when blood glucose levels are high. It facilitates glucose absorption and utilization in insulin-dependent cells with insulin receptors on their plasma membranes. Insulin promotes glucose uptake by increasing the number of glucose transport proteins in the cell membrane, allowing glucose to enter the cell. As a result, glucose utilization and ATP production are enhanced.
In addition to accelerating glucose uptake and utilization, insulin has...
3.4K
Insulin Secretory Vesicles01:05

Insulin Secretory Vesicles

5.0K
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...
5.0K
Insulin: Biosynthesis, Chemistry, and Preparation01:25

Insulin: Biosynthesis, Chemistry, and Preparation

391
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of pancreatic β-cells synthesizes preproinsulin, which consists of a signal peptide, A and B chains, and a C-peptide. Preproinsulin is then cleaved and folded into proinsulin, which translocates to the Golgi apparatus for sorting and packaging into secretory granules. In these granules, enzymatic clipping generates insulin and C-peptide.
Damage or functional impairment of β-cells inhibits insulin production, leading to diabetes. Diabetes treatment...
391
Pancreatic Juice and Secretion01:26

Pancreatic Juice and Secretion

865
Pancreatic juice is a clear fluid produced by the pancreas, containing water, salts, sodium bicarbonate, and enzymes vital for digestion in the small intestine. It helps break down large molecules, facilitating nutrient absorption.
When acidic chyme from the stomach enters the duodenum, it triggers the release of secretin, a hormone that prompts pancreatic juice secretion. After a fatty meal, cholecystokinin, another hormone, stimulates gallbladder contraction and enhances enzyme-rich...
865

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Metabolic Programming of β-Cell Fate, State, and Function through Time and Space.

Physiology (Bethesda, Md.)·2026
Same author

Bend It Like Occam: Ductal Origin of New Islet Cells in Human Pancreas After Injury.

Diabetes·2025
Same author

Enhancement of Subcutaneous Islet Transplant Performance by Collagen 1 Gel.

Cell transplantation·2024
Same author

Sustained hyperglycemia specifically targets translation of mRNAs for insulin secretion.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2023
Same author

PAHSAs reduce cellular senescence and protect pancreatic beta cells from metabolic stress through regulation of Mdm2/p53.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2022
Same author

Islet Inflammation Can Be Linked to the Disruption of Proinsulin Processing in Type 1 Diabetes but not in Type 2 Diabetes.

The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism·2022

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2025

Coculture Analysis of Extracellular Protein Interactions Affecting Insulin Secretion by Pancreatic Beta Cells
05:51

Coculture Analysis of Extracellular Protein Interactions Affecting Insulin Secretion by Pancreatic Beta Cells

Published on: June 15, 2013

13.0K

Conflicting Views About Interactions Between Pancreatic α-Cells and β-Cells.

Gordon C Weir1, Susan Bonner-Weir1

  • 1Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.

Diabetes
|November 20, 2023
PubMed
Summary

In type 1 diabetes, pancreatic alpha and beta cells communicate differently than previously thought. This study explores how blood flow and paracrine signaling influence these crucial cell interactions.

More Related Videos

A Method for Mouse Pancreatic Islet Isolation and Intracellular cAMP Determination
12:33

A Method for Mouse Pancreatic Islet Isolation and Intracellular cAMP Determination

Published on: June 25, 2014

65.3K
Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy of Calcium Dynamics in Acute Mouse Pancreatic Tissue Slices
10:49

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy of Calcium Dynamics in Acute Mouse Pancreatic Tissue Slices

Published on: April 13, 2021

4.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 10, 2025

Coculture Analysis of Extracellular Protein Interactions Affecting Insulin Secretion by Pancreatic Beta Cells
05:51

Coculture Analysis of Extracellular Protein Interactions Affecting Insulin Secretion by Pancreatic Beta Cells

Published on: June 15, 2013

13.0K
A Method for Mouse Pancreatic Islet Isolation and Intracellular cAMP Determination
12:33

A Method for Mouse Pancreatic Islet Isolation and Intracellular cAMP Determination

Published on: June 25, 2014

65.3K
Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy of Calcium Dynamics in Acute Mouse Pancreatic Tissue Slices
10:49

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy of Calcium Dynamics in Acute Mouse Pancreatic Tissue Slices

Published on: April 13, 2021

4.0K

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Cell Biology
  • Diabetes Research

Background:

  • Type 1 diabetes is characterized by a diminished glucagon response to hypoglycemia.
  • Historically, insulin's suppression of glucagon secretion via a core-mantle islet structure was the prevailing theory.
  • Recent research questions this model, proposing paracrine signaling from alpha cells to beta cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate the conflicting models of alpha-beta cell communication in the pancreatic islets.
  • To investigate the roles of vascular anatomy, blood flow, and paracrine mechanisms in regulating islet cell interactions.
  • To understand the implications for type 1 diabetes pathophysiology.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on islet cell communication, including perfused pancreas studies and vascular anatomy research.
  • Analysis of studies utilizing genetic manipulation (knockouts, designer receptors) and pharmacological interventions.
  • Consideration of data from isolated islet studies versus in vivo observations.

Main Results:

  • Evidence supports both the traditional vascular/hormonal (insulin suppressing glucagon) and the newer paracrine (glucagon stimulating insulin) models.
  • Concerns exist regarding data from isolated islets, which may not fully represent in vivo paracrine interactions.
  • The precise interplay between blood flow and paracrine signaling remains a key area of investigation.

Conclusions:

  • The relationship between pancreatic alpha and beta cells is complex and likely involves both blood flow-mediated and paracrine mechanisms.
  • Further research is needed to reconcile conflicting data and fully elucidate these communication pathways.
  • Understanding these interactions is critical for developing improved diabetes therapies.