scholarly journals ISOLATION AND PROPERTIES OF SECRETORY GRANULES FROM RAT ISLETS OF LANGERHANS

1969 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 162-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie H. Greider ◽  
S. L. Howell ◽  
P. E. Lacy

Beta granules isolated from rat islets of Langerhans and subjected only to phosphotungstic acid had, in negatively stained images, a 50-A periodicity. This periodicity was also observed in thin-section profiles of beta granules in intact cells. In shadowed preparations, the granules were spherical in shape and had irregular edges and surface structure. The presence of such a periodicity in the beta granule indicates that its matrix may be composed of a crystalline material.

1969 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. L. Howell ◽  
D. A. Young ◽  
P. E. Lacy

A partially purified secretory granule fraction, isolated from rat islets of Langerhans by differential centrifugation, was used for investigating the stability of the beta granules during incubation in various conditions. Effects of pH, temperature, and time were studied; the granules possessed optimal stability at 4° and pH 6.0, and could be solubilized at pH 4.0 or 8.5, or in the presence of sodium deoxycholate, but not by phospholipase c, ouabain, or alloxan. Incubation with glucose or some of its metabolites, or with tolbutamide, ATP, or cyclic 3',5'-AMP did not alter the stability of the beta granules Exogenous insulin-131I was not bound by the isolated granules under the conditions used; no specific insulin-degrading activity could be detected in subcellular fractions of the islets. These findings indicate that intracellular solubilization of the granules with subsequent diffusion of the insulin into the extracellular space is not a likely mode of insulin secretion in vivo, and suggest that a crystalline zinc-insulin complex may exist in the matrix of the beta granules.


1969 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 154-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. L. Howell ◽  
C. J. Fink ◽  
P. E. Lacy

A method has been devised for the isolation of a secretory granule fraction from isolated rat islets of Langerhans. The islets were homogenized in buffered sucrose, and the homogenate was separated into nuclear, mitochondrial, secretory granule, and microsomal fractions by differential centrifugation. The secretory granule fraction was purified by differential centrifugation in discontinuous sucrose density gradients. A greater degree of purification could be achieved by the use of two successive gradients of this type, although the final yield was greatly reduced. Biochemical and morphological characterization of the fractions was obtained; the secretory granule fraction contained both insulin and glucagon. The limiting membranes of the granules remained intact and the general appearance of the granules was similar to that seen within the whole islet cells.


1969 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 695-705 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. L. Howell ◽  
M. Kostianovsky ◽  
P. E. Lacy

The distribution of radioautographic grains over organelles within the beta cells of rat islets of Langerhans was investigated at various times after pulse labeling of the isolated islets with tritium-labeled amino acids. Ten minutes after the start of labeling most of the grains were situated over the endoplasmic reticulum and cytoplasm; by contrast, 60 min from the start of labeling the majority of the grains were associated with the beta granules. At 20, 30, and 45 minutes after pulse labeling the proportion of grains associated with the Golgi complex was increased two- to three-fold over the 10- or 60-minute values. The distribution of radioautographic grains over granules in the intact cells did not suggest that the electron-lucent type of secretory granules were precursors of the electron-opaque granules. Furthermore, studies of the pattern of grains over granules isolated by centrifugation 60 min after pulse labeling showed no preferential labeling of the electron-lucent type of granule. It is concluded that labeled amino acids are incorporated initially in the endoplasmic reticulum, and that the label subsequently appears in the beta granules. The Golgi complex participates either in the formation of the beta granule or in the translocation of the granule through the cytoplasm of the cell.


Diabetes ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. I. Timmers ◽  
N. R. Voyles ◽  
C. King ◽  
M. Wells ◽  
R. Fairtile ◽  
...  

Diabetes ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. S. Hii ◽  
S. L. Howell

1972 ◽  
Vol 20 (11) ◽  
pp. 873-879 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. L. HOWELL ◽  
MARGARET WHITFIELD

A cytochemical method has been used to investigate the localization of adenyl cyclase activity in A and B cells of isolated rat islets of Langerhans. Adenosine triphosphate was initially utilized as substrate, the pyrophosphate liberated being precipitated by lead ions at its site of production. The specificity of the method was increased by the use of adenylyl-imidodiphosphate as an alternative substrate; this adenosine triphosphate analogue was not hydrolyzed by adenosine triphosphatase but provided an effective substrate for adenyl cyclase. Adenyl cyclase activity, which was found to retain its glucagon and fluoride sensitivity in glutaraldehyde-fixed tissue, was found exclusively and almost uniformly in the plasma membranes of A and B cells. Storage granule membrane, incorporated into the plasma membrane during secretion of the granule content by exocytosis, appeared to be devoid of adenyl cyclase activity.


Diabetes ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. W. G. Sharp ◽  
D. E. Wiedenkeller ◽  
D. Kaelin ◽  
E. G. Siegel ◽  
C. B. Wollheim

1992 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. S. Berrow ◽  
G. Milligan ◽  
N. G. Morgan

ABSTRACT Inhibition of insulin secretion from rat islets of Langerhans is known to involve at least one pertussis toxin-sensitive guanine-nucleotide binding (G) protein. We have used antisera raised against unique antigenic determinants of different members of the family of pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins to identify these proteins in rat islets. Antiserum SG1, which recognizes both Gi1 and Gi2, reacted with an islet protein having an approximate Mr of 40 000. Antiserum IlC (Gi1 specific) failed to recognize any islet proteins, suggesting that Gi2 is present in much greater amounts than Gi1. Indeed, Gi1 levels were below the detection limit of a sensitive immunogold/silver-staining method, indicating that it may be absent from the cells of rat islets. Two different antisera were used to identify Go-like G proteins in rat islet homogenates. Both antisera reacted with a protein band which, under appropriate conditions, could be resolved to reveal two separate proteins of Mr 39–40 000. Thus, at least two molecular forms of Go are present in rat islets. Subcellular fractionation indicated that all three G proteins identified in this study (Gi2 and two forms of Go) are localized to islet membranes. No immunoreactivity could be detected in the cytosolic fraction.


1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas S. Berrow ◽  
Roger D. Hurst ◽  
Susan L. F. Chan ◽  
Noel G. Morgan

Rat islets express a pertussis toxin sensitive G-protein involved in receptor-mediated inhibition of insulin secretion. This has been assumed previously to represent “Gi” which couples inhibitory receptors to adenylate cyclase. Incubation of islet G-proteins with32P-NAD and pertussis toxin resulted in the labelling of a band of molecular weight 40,000. This band was very broad and did not allow resolution of individual components. Incubation of the radiolabelled proteins with an anti-Go antiserum resulted in specific immunoprecipitation of a32P-labelled band. These results demonstrate that the complement of pertussis toxin sensitive G-proteins in rat islets includes Go.


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