Age-related islet inflammation marks the proliferative decline of pancreatic beta-cells in zebrafish.

The pancreatic islet, a cellular community harboring the insulin-producing beta-cells, is known to undergo age-related alterations. However, only a handful of signals associated with aging have been identified. By comparing beta-cells from younger and older zebrafish, here we show that the aging islets exhibit signs of chronic inflammation.

Different developmental histories of beta-cells generate functional and proliferative heterogeneity during islet growth.

The proliferative and functional heterogeneity among seemingly uniform cells is a universal phenomenon. Identifying the underlying factors requires single-cell analysis of function and proliferation. Here we show that the pancreatic beta-cells in zebrafish exhibit different growth-promoting and functional properties, which in part reflect differences in the time elapsed since birth of the cells.

Distinct Levels of Reactive Oxygen Species Coordinate Metabolic Activity with Beta-cell Mass Plasticity.

The pancreatic beta-cells control glucose homeostasis by secreting insulin in response to nutrient intake. The number of beta-cells is under tight metabolic control, as this number increases with higher nutrient intake. However, the signaling pathways matching nutrition with beta-cell mass plasticity remain poorly defined.

A direct comparison of noninvasive coronary angiography by electron beam tomography and navigator-echo-based magnetic resonance imaging for the detection of restenosis following coronary angioplasty.

Rationale And Objectives: To compare electron beam tomography (EBT) with MR imaging (MRI) for detection of restenosis after coronary angioplasty (PTCA).

Methods: One hundred eighteen patients after PTCA were investigated. By EBT, 50 axial images were acquired (3-mm slice thickness, 120-160 mL radiographic contrast agent).