Microtubules act as cellular 'rheostat' to control insulin secretion

Microtubules -- cellular 'highways' that deliver cargo to the cell membrane for secretion -- have a surprising role in pancreatic beta cells. Instead of facilitating glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, they limit it, a team of investigators report. The findings reveal that microtubules act as a cellular 'rheostat' to precisely control insulin secretion and suggest that disturbance of this control may contribute to beta cell dysfunction and type 2 diabetes.