Journal
INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY
Volume 7, Issue 5, Pages 534-543Publisher
ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY
DOI: 10.1039/c4ib00243a
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People with type 1 diabetes (T1D) must administer insulin exogenously due to the destruction of their pancreatic beta-cells. Endogenous insulin is stored in beta-cell granules along with C-peptide, a 31 amino acid peptide that is secreted from these granules in amounts equal to insulin. Exogenous co- administration of C-peptide with insulin has proven to reduce diabetes-associated complications in animals and humans. The exact mechanism of C-peptide's beneficial effects after secretion from the beta-cell granules is not completely understood, thus hindering its development as an exogenously administered hormone. Monitoring tissue-to-tissue communication using a 3D-printed microfluidic device revealed that zinc and C-peptide are being delivered to erythrocytes by albumin. Upon delivery, erythrocyte-derived ATP increased by >50%, as did endothelium-derived NO, which was measured downstream in the 3D-printed device. Our results suggest that hormone replacement therapy in diabetes may be improved by exogenous administration of a C-peptide ensemble that includes zinc and albumin.
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