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Letter

Nature Genetics 38, 589–593 (1 May 2006) | doi:10.1038/ng1774

Ablation of PDK1 in pancreatic |[beta]| cells induces diabetes as a result of loss of |[beta]| cell mass

Naoko Hashimoto , Yoshiaki Kido , Tohru Uchida , Shun-ichiro Asahara , Yutaka Shigeyama , Tomokazu Matsuda , Akihiko Takeda , Daisuke Tsuchihashi , Akihiko Nishizawa , Wataru Ogawa , Yoshito Fujimoto , Hitoshi Okamura , Karen C Arden , Pedro L Herrera , Tetsuo Noda & Masato Kasuga

The total mass of islets of Langerhans is reduced in individuals with type 2 diabetes, possibly contributing to the pathogenesis of this condition. Although the regulation of islet mass is complex, recent studies have suggested the importance of a signaling pathway that includes the insulin or insulin-like growth factor–1 receptors, insulin receptor substrate and phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase.