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Contributions of Physiology to the Understanding of Diabetes pp 24–42Cite as

Intercellular Communication and Insulin Secretion

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Abstract

In 1973, a Geneva group reported for the first time that the endocrine cells of the islets of Langerhans are linked by gap junctions and suggested that these membrane structures may be somehow involved in the control of insulin secretion [1]. This work, which has set the basis for most of the later studies I review here, was senior authored by Prof. A.E. Renold. As on several other occasions, he, to whom I was later introduced to as “Uncle Albert,” had timely sensed with L. Orci the potential importance of this novel form of cell-to-cell interaction. Throughout the 11 years I had the chance to see Albert Renold in Geneva, his enthusiasm and warm support of my own work in the field of gap junctional communication never failed.

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Authors
  1. P. Meda
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fondation pour Recherches Médicales Faculté de Médecine, Université de Genève, 64, Avenue dela Roseraie, 1211, Genève 4, Switzerland

    Gaston R. Zahnd

  2. Division de Biochimie clinique et de Diabétologie expérimentale, Centre Médical Universitaire, 1211, Genève 4, Switzerland

    Claes B. Wollheim

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Meda, P. (1997). Intercellular Communication and Insulin Secretion. In: Zahnd, G.R., Wollheim, C.B. (eds) Contributions of Physiology to the Understanding of Diabetes. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60475-1_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60475-1_3

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