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The pancreatic beta-cell is unique because its major agonist, glucose,
undergoes metabolism rather than interacting with a receptor. Glucose is metabolized
through the cytosolic reactions of glycolysis and then enters mitochodrial metabolism
as pyruvate. These reactions in turn generate signals which trigger the secretory
machinery of the beta-cell to stimulate the release of insulin. To better understand
these events, we have created a detailed computer simulation of the beta-cell to test
current metabolism-secretion hypotheses and to develop new strategies for elucidation
of beta-cell signaling. This simulator was presented at the 2001 EASD in Glasgow, UK
Diabetologia 44 S1:A123. |
