Pancreatic beta cells are the source of insulin, which directly lowers blood glucose levels in the body. Our analyses of alpha(1D) gene-knockout (alpha(1D)(-/-)) mice show that the L-type calcium channel, alpha(1D), is required for proper beta cell generation in the postnatal pancreas. Knockout mice were characteristically slightly smaller than their littermates and exhibited hypoinsulinemia and glucose intolerance. However, isolated alpha(1D)(-/-) islets persisted in glucose sensing and insulin secretion, with compensatory overexpression of another L-type channel gene, alpha(1C). Histologically, newborn alpha(1D)(-/-) mice had an equivalent number of islets to wild-type mice. In contrast, adult alpha(1D)(-/-) mice showed a decrease in the number and size of islets, compared with littermate wild-type mice due to a decrease in beta cell generation. TUNEL staining showed that there was no increase in cell death in alpha(1D)(-/-) islets, and a 5-bromo-2' deoxyuridine-labeling (BrdU-labeling) assay illustrated significant reduction in the proliferation rate of beta cells in alpha(1D)(-/-) islets.
