The pancreatic islets play a key role in the maintenance of systemic glucose homeostasis via the secretion of insulin and glucagon from beta and alpha cells. However, there is more to the function of the integrated micro-organ than just the sum of individual cells. It has become increasingly clear that intercellular communication within islets is central for their optimal function.
The islet consists of different cell types and is rich in vascularisation and innervation. The actual three-dimensional structure of the micro-organ confers superior functionality to the islets and loss of direct cell-cell contact leads to lower secretory capacity in islet cells. Therefore, inter-cellular communication plays a critical role in orchestrating the activity of heterogeneous islet cells for well-coordinated islet hormone output. Besides the interaction between different cell types, recent studies also identified beta cell heterogeneity as a potential key factor in well-controlled glucose-induced insulin secretion. The highly integrated nature of islets enabled by extensive islet cell crosstalk highlights the necessity of studying the islet as a whole functioning unit; it is an important aspect of islet physiology and essential for better understanding of diabetes aetiology.
The aim of this topic is to identify recent advances in our understanding of how the overall functional capacity of the pancreatic islets is directly regulated via intercellular communication between their different components. In particular, this research topic seeks to explore the links between islet cell heterogeneity and cross talk (including extra-islet factors), leading to a highly coordinated release of hormones from the islet.
Articles can focus on a range of areas with implications for overall islet function, such as:
• Intra islet paracrine factors
• connectivity, hubs and subpopulations
• islet architecture and direct cell-cell contact
• Intra-islet Ca2+ and/or insulin synchronicity and oscillations
• identification and role of heterogeneous cell maturity within the islet cell community.
Manuscripts in the format of original research articles are encouraged.
The pancreatic islets play a key role in the maintenance of systemic glucose homeostasis via the secretion of insulin and glucagon from beta and alpha cells. However, there is more to the function of the integrated micro-organ than just the sum of individual cells. It has become increasingly clear that intercellular communication within islets is central for their optimal function.
The islet consists of different cell types and is rich in vascularisation and innervation. The actual three-dimensional structure of the micro-organ confers superior functionality to the islets and loss of direct cell-cell contact leads to lower secretory capacity in islet cells. Therefore, inter-cellular communication plays a critical role in orchestrating the activity of heterogeneous islet cells for well-coordinated islet hormone output. Besides the interaction between different cell types, recent studies also identified beta cell heterogeneity as a potential key factor in well-controlled glucose-induced insulin secretion. The highly integrated nature of islets enabled by extensive islet cell crosstalk highlights the necessity of studying the islet as a whole functioning unit; it is an important aspect of islet physiology and essential for better understanding of diabetes aetiology.
The aim of this topic is to identify recent advances in our understanding of how the overall functional capacity of the pancreatic islets is directly regulated via intercellular communication between their different components. In particular, this research topic seeks to explore the links between islet cell heterogeneity and cross talk (including extra-islet factors), leading to a highly coordinated release of hormones from the islet.
Articles can focus on a range of areas with implications for overall islet function, such as:
• Intra islet paracrine factors
• connectivity, hubs and subpopulations
• islet architecture and direct cell-cell contact
• Intra-islet Ca2+ and/or insulin synchronicity and oscillations
• identification and role of heterogeneous cell maturity within the islet cell community.
Manuscripts in the format of original research articles are encouraged.