Pyruvate oxidation is critical determinant of pancreatic islet number, β-cell mass

Glucose is not only a major nutrient regulator of insulin secretion, but also impacts on gene expression in ²-cells. Using a mouse model of ²-cell-specific knock-out of Pdha1 gene which encodes the ± subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, the authors demonstrated that mitochondrial metabolism of pyruvate derived from glucose not only regulates insulin secretion but also directly influences ²-cell growth and plasticity.