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A novel approach to in situ characterization of pancreatic β-cells

  • Cell and Molecular Physiology
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A Protocol for this article was published on 13 November 2014

Abstract

The tissue-slice technique has enabled major insights into neural and neuroendocrine physiology. Our aim was to adapt this technique to study the function of the endocrine pancreas. The preparation combines an in situ approach, as in gland perfusion, with a resolution characteristic of electrophysiological studies on single cells. The membrane potential in β-cells in the slices recorded using the whole-cell patch-clamp was close to the calculated reversal potential for K+. With sufficient ATP in the recording pipette the β-cells depolarized rapidly on exposure to an increased glucose concentration or stimulation with tolbutamide. The cells preserved bursting and spiking capacity for tens of minutes despite the whole-cell dialysis. In addition, the voltage clamp was used to monitor the changes in the membrane capacitance and to allow correlation of the electrical activity and the cytosolic calcium changes. The pancreatic tissue slice preparation is a novel method for studying the function of the β- and other pancreatic endocrine and exocrine cells under near-physiological conditions.

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Fig. 1A–E.
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Acknowledgements

We thank Marion Niebeling and Heiko Röhse for excellent technical assistance, and S. Göpel and P. Rorsman of the University of Lund for valuable discussions. This work was supported by the European Commission (Grant QLG1-CT-2001-02233 to M.R.) and the Max Planck Society.

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  1. European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen, Waldweg 33, 37073, Göttingen, Germany

    Stephan Speier & Marjan Rupnik

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  1. Stephan Speier
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  2. Marjan Rupnik
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Correspondence to Marjan Rupnik.

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Speier, S., Rupnik, M. A novel approach to in situ characterization of pancreatic β-cells. Pflugers Arch - Eur J Physiol 446, 553–558 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-003-1097-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-003-1097-9

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