PANCREATIC β CELL CLOCK AND TELOCYTES

Abstract

Circadian clocks are cell-autonomous molecular oscillators that drive daily rhythms of physiology and behavior. Apart the well known fundamental processes like sleep/wake cycle, physical activity and metabolism, highly integrated into the 24 hour (circadian) periodicity, there are some infradian or ultradian tissue clocks, whose significance and mechanisms are not yet well known.

Pancreatic β cells show at least three types of insulin secretory pulsations which seems to be related to the metabolic activity regulation in various peripheral tissues/organs, involved in maintaining the energy homeostasis of human body. The rapid insulin pulsation with a periodicity of 6-10 min., slows ultradian (~ 140 min) and circadian (~24 hr) oscillatory pattern of insulin secretion were detected during in vivo studies by the mean of frequent insulin measurements during an appropriate stimulation.