Expansion of adult beta-cell mass in response to increased metabolic demand is dependent on HNF-4alpha.

The failure to expand functional pancreatic beta-cell mass in response to increased metabolic demand is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes. Lineage tracing studies indicate that replication of existing beta-cells is the principle mechanism for beta-cell expansion in adult mice. Here we demonstrate that the proliferative response of beta-cells is dependent on the orphan nuclear receptor hepatocyte nuclear factor-4alpha (HNF-4alpha), the gene that is mutated in Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young 1 (MODY1).

EPConDB: a web resource for gene expression related to pancreatic development, beta-cell function and diabetes.

EPConDB (http://www.cbil.upenn.