Heterogeneity in the fucntion of beta cells has long been known. However given the extensive cross talk within the islet, it is unclear how these different populations contribute to overall islet function. In this talk we will present our work describing how excitable and inexcitable cells interact within the islet and how they can drive the dynamics of electrical activity and insulin secretion. We will further describe how we are study heterogeneity in the human islet
-how do beta cells interact within the islet?
-how are beta cells heterogeneous?
-how do heterogeneous beta cells impact islet function?
-how does beta cell heterogeneity compare between mouse and human?
