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Effect of cell size on insulin secretion in human β-cells: a simulation study

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Abstract

By using a computational model of a single human β-cell, in this work we analyze the effect of cell size on insulin secretion. The model includes an electric component capable of reproducing the electrical behavior of the human β-cell, a buffered diffusion component to determine the concentration of Ca2+ at any point of the intracellular space, and a secretion component that describes the distribution and mobilization of insulin granules throughout the simulated cell. The performed simulations suggest that smaller human β-cells could have faster secretory response with a greater amplitude than bigger cells. This phenomenon is due to the inverse proportionality relationship between the amplitude of the Ca2+ transients in the submembrane domain of the simulated cells and the cells’ size.

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Acknowledgments

G. J. Félix-Martínez (CVU 302514) acknowledges the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) and Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana for the support given to this project.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT), México.

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Author notes

  1. Gerardo J. Félix-Martínez & J. Rafael Godínez-Fernández

    Present address: Department of Electrical Engineering Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Iztapalapa Mexico City, Mexico

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT, Mexico), Mexico City, Mexico

    Gerardo J. Félix-Martínez

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  1. Gerardo J. Félix-Martínez
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  2. J. Rafael Godínez-Fernández
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Correspondence to Gerardo J. Félix-Martínez.

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Félix-Martínez, G.J., Godínez-Fernández, J.R. Effect of cell size on insulin secretion in human β-cells: a simulation study. Health Technol. 10, 379–383 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12553-019-00350-3

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