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Expression of α,βA and βB subunits of inhibin or activin and follistatin in rat pancreatic islets
Author(s) -
Ogawa Kenji,
Abe Keiko,
Kurosawa Nobuyuki,
Kurohmaru Masamichi,
Sugino Hiromu,
Takahashi Michio,
Hayashi Yoshihiro
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(93)80549-a
Subject(s) - follistatin , pancreatic islets , endocrinology , medicine , islet , chemistry , biology , insulin
We first detected the mRNA expression of follistatin and three subunits of inhibin/activin in rat pancreatic islets by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Immunohistochemistry using anti‐follistatin serum (against residues 123–134) revealed that follistatin was localized only in insulin‐producing B cells. Although the βA subunit was detectable in the islets, the immunostainable cell types were completely different with two βA antisera, i.e. anti‐βA (1–1O)‐Tyr stained B cells, while anti‐βA (87–99) stained glucagon‐producing A cells. This inconsistent immunoreactivity was probably related to follistatin binding to β subunits of inhibin/activin. This study indicates that follistatin and inhibin/activin in the islet serve as paracrine or autocrine modulators in the endocrine pancreas.