•  
  •  
 

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

CDK5R1, β-cell survival, apoptosis, diabetes

College

Life Sciences

Department

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science

Abstract

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are classified as a decrease in functional ß-cell mass, which results in impaired blood glucose regulation. Functional ß-cell mass is defined as the glucose stimulated insulin secretion rate multiplied by the total cellular mass which is determined by the proliferation and cell death rates. Though ß-cell mass proliferation rates generally decrease by adolescence, obesity and pregnancy have been shown to be times of significant ß-cell proliferation (1). This implies that the inherent molecular pathways necessary for ß-cell proliferation are present, but highly regulated. Discovering the molecular pathway of ß-cell proliferation could lead to diabetes treatment options including increasing the endogenous ß-cell population, or producing sufficient ß-cells ex vivo for islet transplantation.

Included in

Nutrition Commons

Share

COinS