Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Neurobiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Islets. 2010 Sep-Oct;2(5):331-3. doi: 10.4161/isl.2.5.12973. Epub 2010 Sep 1.
The release of insulin by pancreatic beta cells involves a complex interplay of conductances that generate oscillations and drive secretion. A recent report identifies a new player in this process, the ion channel TRPM5. TRPM5 was originally identified in taste cells, where it forms a Ca(2+)-activated cation channel that is required for sensory responses to bitter and sweet tastes. New research now shows that TRPM5 is expressed within the pancreatic islets of Langerhans, where it regulates the frequency of Ca(2+) oscillations and contributes to insulin release by β-cells.
胰腺β细胞分泌胰岛素涉及一系列复杂的电导活动,这些活动产生振荡并驱动分泌。最近的一份报告确定了这一过程中的一个新参与者,即离子通道 TRPM5。TRPM5 最初在味觉细胞中被发现,在那里它形成一个 Ca(2+)-激活的阳离子通道,是对苦味和甜味的感觉反应所必需的。新的研究现在表明,TRPM5 在胰岛内表达,调节 Ca(2+)振荡的频率,并通过β细胞促进胰岛素的释放。