Mitochondrial function parameters during metabolic amplification of insulin secretion

Aims: The amplifying pathway of insulin secretion is known to involve the export of mitochondrial intermediates. However, it is neither known which metabolites are critical nor is there an undisputed target structure. Recently, we have observed that under an experimental condition which permits to compare the amplification by the nutrient secretagogues glucose and KIC (a-ketoisocaproic acid), the secretory response to glucose was entirely lacking while a virtually immediate response was elicited by KIC. This experimental situation should permit to gain further insight into nutrient signalling in the beta-cells.…