Biogenesis of the insulin secretory granule in health and disease

The secretory granules of pancreatic beta cells are specialized organelles responsible for the packaging, storage and secretion of the vital hormone insulin. The insulin secretory granules also contain more than 100 other proteins including the proteases involved in proinsulin-to insulin conversion, other precursor proteins, minor co-secreted peptides, membrane proteins involved in cell trafficking and ion translocation proteins essential for regulation of the intragranular environment. The synthesis, transport and packaging of these proteins into nascent granules must be carried out in a co-ordinated manner to ensure correct functioning of the granule. The process is regulated by many circulating nutrients such as glucose and can change under different physiological states. This chapter discusses the various processes involved in insulin granule biogenesis with a focus on the granule composition in health and disease1134173

Assays for Insulin and Insulin-Like Signal Transduction Based on Adipocytes, Hepatocytes, and Myocytes

After having established insulin-like activity of compounds/drug candidates in primary or cultured adipose, muscle, and liver cells or tissues with one or several of the metabolic assays described above (see K.6.1 and K.6.2), it is often useful to elucidate the molecular mode of action of these compounds/drug candidates for further characterization and optimization, in particular regarding selectivity and potency. For this, detailed knowledge in the molecular mechanisms of the insulin signal transduction cascade as well as of cross-talking insulin-like signaling pathways as well as the availability of appropriate reliable and robust cell-free and cell-based assays reflecting these events is required. The following view results from the current experimental findings but, due to limitations in space and rapid progress still made in this area, has to be considered as simplified and temporary, only