Coherent non-linear wave dynamics of coupled beta-cells

Section for Mathematical Physics
Section for Image Analysis

Abstract:  Modelling and simulations are conducted on excitable beta-cells in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas using the reaction diffusion type Hudgin-Huxley equations adapted to the description of beta-cells. The beta-cells are responsible for insulin production and understanding of their dynamical behaviour points to applications within development of drugs against diabetes. The main focus is not on single cell dynamics but on the dynamics of cells coupled via gap junctions. We have discovered a number of important new features appearing due to coupling, the most prominent is coherent wave propagation across the islets of Langerhans, revealed in experiments and image analysis studies at Novo Nordisk, Bioimage and IMM. The mathematical modelling supports the notion of wave propagation and details well a number of recent experimental observations. The modelling work includes the influence of glucose on the dynamics of beta-cells and the influence of stochastic varying parameters. So far the investigations has been conducted on in vitro experiments of islets of Langerhans.
 

Collaborators:
 
 

•  Mette Vesterager Petersen, IMM, DTU.
•  Peter Leth Christiansen, IMM, DTU.
•  Alwyn C. Scott,  IMM, DTU and Mathematics Department, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
•  Knut Conradsen, IMM, DTU.
•  Bjarne Stig Andersen, UNI-C, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
•  Oleg V. Aslanidi, Institute of Cell Biophysics, RAS, Pushchino, Russia.
•  Oleg A. Mornev, Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, RAS, Pushchino, Russia.
•  Ole Skyggebjerg, Department of Cell Biology, Novo Nordisk a/s, Gentofte, Denmark.
•  Per Arkhammar, Bioimage a/s, Søborg, Denmark.
•  Ole Thastrup, Bioimage a/s, Søborg, Denmark.

Funding:
UNI-C: 800 KKr
Forskeruddannelseskontoret: 400 KKr

Publications:

• Excitation Wave Propagation as a Possible Mechanism for Siganal Transmission in Pancreatic Islets of Langerhans. O.V. Aslanidi, O.A. Mornev, O. Skyggebjerg, P. Arkhammar, O. Thastrup, M.P. Sørensen, P. L. Christiansen, K. Conradsen, and A. C. Scott, Biophysical Journal, Volume 80(3), 2001, pp. 1195-1209.

Start date: January1998.