β-Cell Replication Is the Primary Mechanism Subserving the Postnatal Expansion of β-Cell Mass in Humans

• DOI: 10.2337/db07-1369
• Publication Date: 2008-03-12T03:34:23Z
• Authors: Juris J. Meier; Alexandra E. Butler; Yoshifumi Saisho; Travis Monchamp; Ryan Galasso; Anil Bhushan; Robert A. Rizza; Peter C. Butler
• Keywords: Adult; Aging; 0303 health sciences; Adolescent; Infant, Newborn; Infant; Organ Size; 03 medical and health sciences; Child, Preschool; Insulin-Secreting Cells; Humans; Child; Pancreas; Cell Division

OBJECTIVE— Little is known about the capacity, mechanisms, or timing of growth in β-cell mass humans. We sought to establish if predominant expansion humans occurs early childhood and if, as rodents, this coincides with relatively abundant replication. also there a secondary coincident accelerated somatic adolescence. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS— To address these questions, pancreas volume was determined from abdominal computer tomographies 135 children aged 4 weeks 20 years, morphometric analyses were performed human pancreatic tissue obtained at autopsy 46 2 21 years. RESULTS— report that 1) expands by severalfold birth adulthood, 2) islets grow size rather than number during transition, 3) relative rate highest infancy gradually declines thereafter adulthood no phase adolescence, 4) (and presumably growth) highly variable between individuals, 5) high replication major postnatal mass. CONCLUSIONS— These data imply regulation plays role adult