Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Emerging Role Of Pancreatic Β-Cell Primary Cilia In Diabetes Mellitus, Emily Blackburn

Honors Scholar Theses

Diabetes mellitus is prevalent in America, affecting more than 10% of the population. The underlying cause of the disease are diverse and can be related to genes, environment and physical inactivity. This review investigates how a minute cellular organelle called primary cilium, found in pancreatic β-cells, affects the development and the function of the pancreas. Gene mutations related to primary cilia can lead to malfunctions or loss of the structure, and cause diseases collectively classified as ciliopathies. Recent studies of two types of ciliopathies, Alstrom’s Syndrome and Bardet–Biedl Syndrome, connect the primary cilium defects with insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells. …