Amylin in the periphery II: An updated mini-review

Abstract

Amylin is a polypeptide that is cosecreted with insulin from the β cells of the pancreas. Therefore, in states of diabetes in which the β-cell mass is largely depleted or dysfunctional, insulin and amylin secretion are also lost or dysregulated. While the soluble monomeric form of amylin acts as a hormone that alters physiological responses related to feeding and acts as a specific growth factor, there has been renewed interest in the less-soluble oligomeric and insoluble polymeric forms of human (also monkey and cat) amylin that may contribute to the establishment of a pathophysiological pathway to overt diabetes. With this discovery has grown the hope of minimizing, with appropriate therap..