Olof Idevall-Hagren

Olof Idevall-Hagren says: ”Most cells in the human body are equipped with a primary cilium. This small protrusion function as an antenna that senses changes in the environment and transmit this to the cell body. Defects in primary cilia is the underlying cause of ciliophaties, a group of diseases characterized by diabetes-like symptoms. If there are direct connections between cilia function and diabetes is not known. We have developed tools that enable visualization of activity within primary cilia of insulin-secreting cells and found that these structures are engaged under conditions that modulate insulin secretion. Olof Idevall Hagren will now use these techniques together with methods that suppress or amplify this activity and determine the importance of primary cilia for insulin production and secretion. Our hypothesis is that these antennae coordinate different responses, e.g. insulin secretion, between cells and that defects in cilia function will have a negative impact on these responses and contribute to diabetes.”