Jpn. J. Pharmacol. 80 (3), 191-197 (1999)


-Current Perspective-
Ca2+ Signaling and the Insulin Secretory Cascade in the Pancreatic Beta-Cell

Ichiro Niki


Department of Pharmacology, Nagoya Univesity School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan


Abstract: Recent progress in electrophysiological and microscopic techniques have enabled us to estimate exocytotic and pre-exocytotic events in the secretory machinery in single pancreatic beta-cells. We have been studying mechanisms involved in the regulation of insulin granule movement, which supplies release-ready granules, by direct visualization of granule traffic in living beta-cells and found the movement to be regulated by a mechanism different from that controlling exocytosis. From the obtained findings together with those from electrophysiological approaches, a new understanding of the role of the crucial second
messenger Ca2+, and other second messengers, as well as resultant protein phosphorylation has been generated. The aim of this review is to describe a synergistic network for the control of insulin release by second messengers and protein kinases.

Keywords: Pancreatic beta-cell, Granule traffic, Myosin, Protein phosphorylation, Ca2+


Copyright© The Japanese Pharmacological Society 1999

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