Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A and Islet Vascularization Are Necessary in Developing, but Not Adult, Pancreatic Islets

摘要: Pancreatic islets are highly vascularized mini-organs, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A is a critical in the development of islet vascularization. To investigate role VEGF-A cells (ECs) adult islets, we used complementary genetic approaches to temporally inactivate developing mouse pancreatic progenitor or β-cells. Inactivation early dramatically reduced vascularization, leading β-cell proliferation both and, ultimately, mass impaired glucose clearance. When was inactivated β-cells, vascularization twofold. Surprisingly, even after 3 months architecture gene expression, mass, function were preserved with only minimal abnormality These data show that normal expression for recruitment ECs subsequent stimulation endocrine cell during development. In contrast, although required maintaining specialized vasculature observed β-cells can adapt survive long-term reductions vascularity. results indicate have lesser mass.