The pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes is intimately intertwined with the vasculature. Insulin must efficiently enter the bloodstream from pancreatic beta-cells, circulate throughout the body, and efficiently exit the bloodstream to reach target tissues and mediate its effects. Defects in the vasculature of pancreatic islets can lead to diabetic phenotypes. Similarly, insulin resistance is accompanied by defects in the vasculature of skeletal muscle, which ultimately reduce the ability of insulin and nutrients to reach myocytes. An underappreciated participant in these processes is the vascular pericyte. Pericytes, the smooth muscle-like cells lining the outsides of blood vessels throughout the body, have not been directly implicated in insulin secretion or peripheral insulin delivery. Here, we review the role of the vasculature in insulin secretion, islet function, and peripheral insulin delivery, and highlight a potential role for the vascular pericyte in these processes.

中文翻译：

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血管、内皮细胞和血管周细胞在胰岛素分泌和外周胰岛素作用中的作用。


2 型糖尿病的发病机制与脉管系统密切相关。胰岛素必须有效地从胰腺β细胞进入血流，在全身循环，并有效地离开血流到达靶组织并介导其作用。胰岛血管系统缺陷可导致糖尿病表型。同样，胰岛素抵抗伴随着骨骼肌脉管系统的缺陷，最终降低胰岛素和营养物质到达心肌细胞的能力。这些过程中一个未被充分认识的参与者是血管周细胞。周细胞是遍布全身血管外部的平滑肌样细胞，尚未直接参与胰岛素分泌或外周胰岛素输送。在这里，我们回顾了脉管系统在胰岛素分泌、胰岛功能和外周胰岛素输送中的作用，并强调了血管周细胞在这些过程中的潜在作用。