Adult islets cultured in collagen gel transdifferentiate into duct-like cells.

Aim: To establish a model of islet-ductal cell transdifferentiation to identify the transdifferentiated cells.

Methods: Collagen was extracted from rat tail at first. Purified rat islets were divided into three groups, embedded in collagen gel and incubated respectively in DMEM/F12 alone (control group), DMEM/F12 plus epidermal growth factor (EGF), DMEM/F12 plus EGF and cholera toxin (CT).

Oestrogen improves glucose metabolism and insulin signal transduction in HepG2 cells.

1. Many clinical studies have suggested a relationship between oestrogen and insulin sensitivity. In the present study, HepG2 cells were divided into four groups: (i) control, incubated with 1 nmol/L insulin; (ii) the HI group, which was incubated with 100 nmol/L insulin to induce insulin resistance; (iii) the E2 group, in which control cells were incubated with 1 nmol/L insulin plus 1 nmol/L oestradiol; and (iv) the HI + E2 group, in which insulin-resistant cells were incubated with 100 nmol/L insulin + 1 nmol/L oestradiol.

[Relationship between the mutation of insulin receptor substrate-1 gene 3'untranslated region and type 2 diabetes in the Chinese].

Objective: To study the relationship between the mutation of the insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) gene 3'untranslated region and Type 2 diabetes in the Chinese.

Methods: Samples were obtained from 120 Chinese patients with Type 2 diabetes and 120 control subjects. The 3'untranslated region sequence of IRS-1 gene was screened by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis.