Synchronization Of Insulin Secretion Through Intrapancreatic Ganglia
by
Bernard Fendler
Florida State University

β-cells are cells located in the human pancreas and are known to produce electrical activity. When these cells are electrically active, they secrete a hormone necessary for maintaining glucose homeostasis in the blood called insulin. The β-cells are located in the pancreas in small micro-organs called islets of Langerhans. There are thousands of islets in the pancreas which are known to produce oscillatory insulin secretion. Measurements of insulin have shown that oscillatory secretion also occurs in the blood. Since plasma insulin reflects the secretion from the entire islet population, oscillations in plasma insulin levels suggest that islet oscillations must be largely synchronized. Bertram et al. “Bio. Phys. Jour., 92, 1544-1555, 2007” has developed a mathematical model of the β-cell which reproduces many of the measured electrical and calcium properties of the β-cell. We use this model to investigate methods of synchronization of the islet population. The islet is known to be innervated by neurons, in ganglia, interspersed throughout the pancreas. We investigate the viability of islet synchronization by coordinated action of the intrapancreatic ganglia.

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Date received: May 1, 2008