Virgin Beta Cells Persist throughout Life at a Neogenic Niche within Pancreatic Islets

Virtual slicing of a 3D reconstructed islet from a mouse carrying Ins1-H2b-mCherry as well as Ucn3-eGFP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fluorescent glucose uptake in an islet over time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Streptozotocin-mediated death of mature beta cells spares immature beta cells at the islet edge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visualization of alpha to beta trans-differentiated cells at the periphery of an Ins1-H2bmCherry x Gcg-Cre x lsl-eYFP triple transgenic islet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stereotypical alpha cell calcium activity measured by GCaMP6 upon AVP stimulation followed by stereotypical beta cell GCaMP6 activity upon continued high glucose stimulation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alpha-to-beta transdifferentiated cell calcium (GCaMP6) activity is indistinguishable from that of beta cells.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beta-to-alpha transdifferentiated cell calcium (GCaMP6) activity is indistinguishable from that of alpha cells.