Recent research spearheaded by investigators from the University of Birmingham, in the United Kingdom, has used innovative technology to uncover more information about a key molecule, and this new understanding could have applications in the treatment of metabolic diseases
ISLAMABAD (Pakistan Point News / Online - 31st January, 2020) Recent research spearheaded by investigators from the University of Birmingham, in the United Kingdom, has used innovative technology to uncover more information about a key molecule, and this new understanding could have applications in the treatment of metabolic diseases.More specifically, the team focused on obtaining better images of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R), a receptor protein that is present on specialized cells called beta cells of the pancreas and on certain brain cells that produce insulin.
Insulin is a hormone that plays a key role in the regulation of blood sugar levels, and impairments in insulin production are the main characteristic of type 2 diabetes.GLP1R can help regulate blood sugar by stimulating the specialized cells to produce more insulin. That is why the molecule has been a target for diabetes therapy.However, so far, many of GLP1R's various characteristics and functions have remained unclear because the receptor's minute size has made it difficult to image.
Now, the team from the University of Birmingham and other international institutions has managed to use innovative, sophisticated microscopy to learn more about GLP1R.They explain their methods and findings in a new paper that appears in the journal Nature Communications.In their study, the researchers used super-resolution microscopy alongside an advanced molecule-tracking technique called immunostaining and experiments in mouse models to find out more about GLP1R.
By doing so, they were able to discover not just where, exactly, these receptors are located on cells, but also how they react to certain signal molecules.This has allowed the team to map and present a comprehensive compilation of updated information about GLP1R, including more accurate indications about how to detect the molecule's presence."Our research allows us to visualize this key receptor in much more detail than before," notes senior study author Prof. David Hodson, from the University of Birmingham.
