X-ray microanalysis of in situ and isolated pancreatic islets

The effect of stimulation of insulin secretion in pancreatic beta cells on the elemental composition of these cells was investigated by x-ray microanalysis. In vitro experiments on isolated islets of Langerhans from ob/ob mice were compared to in situ experiments. The only significant difference in the elemental composition of beta cells from ob/ob mice versus their lean counterparts is a lower Ca concentration in the ob/ob animals. The nucleus of the beta cells has a higher concentration of P, K, and Na than the cytoplasm, which has a higher concentration of S and Cl. No polarized ion distribution in the cytoplasm of the beta cells was observed. Isolated beta cells show a higher concentration of Na and Cl and a lower concentration of K than their in situ counterparts. Stimulation of insulin secretion with glucose both in situ and in vitro showed only very small effects on the elemental composition of the beta cells: a tendency to a decreased P content was noted. In vitro experiments using stimulation with high extracellular K+ showed, in addition, a small increase in the intracellular K concentration. In conclusion, while the elemental content of beta cells in vitro differs from that in situ, the response to glucose stimulation appears to be similar in both systems.