Figure 2: Lack of barr2 in β-cells causes a strong reduction in VDCC amplitude and AP firing frequency. | Nature Communications

Figure 2: Lack of barr2 in β-cells causes a strong reduction in VDCC amplitude and AP firing frequency.

From: β-arrestin-2 is an essential regulator of pancreatic β-cell function under physiological and pathophysiological conditions

Figure 2

(a) VDCC currents recorded from β-cells of control and β-barr2-KO mice in response to voltage steps of 10 mV from −70 to 70 mV. (b) Normalized average β-cell VDCC currents at the indicated voltage steps (control, n=15 islets; β-barr2-KO, n=13 islets). (c) Activation of β-cell VDCCs in response to the indicated voltage steps. (f) Time constants of VDCC inactivation in response to the indicated voltage steps (fast (τfast) and slow (τslow)). (e,f) Electrical activity of representative β-cells from a control (e) and a β-barr2-KO mouse (f) in response to 16 mM glucose. (g) β-Cell AP firing frequency recorded 2.5 min after glucose (16 mM) treatment (control, n=13 islets; β-barr2-KO, n=19 islets). (h) Plateau potential from where β-cell APs occurred 2.5 min after glucose (16 mM) treatment (control, n=13 islets; β-barr2-KO, n=19 islets). The data shown in b–d,g and h comprise experiments derived from five independent islet isolations using different sets of control and β-barr2-KO mice (adult males). Data represent means±s.e.m. (*P<0.05; **P<0.01; Student’s t-test).

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