Helmholtz Munich

Solimena Lab

Our laboratory is interested in the cell biology of beta cells of the endocrine pancreas. Pancreatic beta cells play a key role in glucose homeostasis by releasing the glucose-lowering hormone insulin.

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About our work

Our laboratory is interested in the cell biology of beta cells of the endocrine pancreas. Pancreatic beta cells play a key role in glucose homeostasis by releasing the glucose-lowering hormone insulin. Autoimmune destruction of beta cells leads to the development of type 1 diabetes mellitus, whereas an impairment of insulin secretion is implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our research is focused on the insulin secretory granules, i.e. the organelles devoted to the storage and regulated release of insulin in response to glucose and other stimuli.

Biogenesis of Insulin Secretory Granules

We are interested in understanding how glucose stimulation, which depletes beta cells of secretory granules, quickly promotes the biogenesis of new secretory granules by up-regulating the production of insulin and other secretory granule proteins.

Interaction of secretory granules with the cortical actin cytoskeleton

We aim for the identification of protein complexes that mediate the interaction of secretory granules with the cortical actin cytoskeleton. The dynamic assembly and disassembly of these complexes may regulate the fusion of secretory granules with the plasma membrane and the recycling of their membranes following exocytosis.

Mikroskopobjektiv Grüner Laser 1 (IMG_7076)

Exocytosis of insulin secretory granules

We would like to understand how the exocytosis of insulin secretory granules may affect cell adhesion and give origin to feedback signals that modulate the activity of beta cells.

Our ultimate goal

The ultimate goal is to apply the information obtained through our studies towards the development of novel approaches for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

To pursue these studies we apply a large variety of molecular, biochemical and imaging techniques both in vitro (in insulinoma cells and purified pancreatic islets) and in vivo (in transgenic and knock-out mice).

Prof. Dr. Michele Solimena

Institute Director View profile

Katja Pfriem

Administrative Coordination

Yanni Morgenroth

Dana Krüger

Administration

Carla Münster

Technische Assistenz

Eyke Schöniger

Technische Assistenz

Juha Torkko, PhD

Postdoc

Dr. Andreas Müller

Postdoc

Carolin Eckert

Technische Assistenz

Daniela Friedland

Technische Assistenz

Katharina Ganß

Technische Assistenz

Imaging

Elucidation of microtubule networks of beta cells via electron microsocopy

LIDOPACO

Natural History of Type-2 Diabetes in Beta Cells - Novel Insights from Pamcreatic Living Donors

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Type-1 Diabetes

Cell Biologies of Enteroviruses in Beta Cells and Type-1 Diabetes

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Gloyn AL, Ibberson M, Marchetti P, Powers AC, Rorsman P, Sander M, Solimena M

Every islet matters: improving the impact of human islet research

Kemter E, Müller A, Neukam M, Ivanova A, Klymiuk N, Renner S, Yang K, Broichhagen J, Kurome M, Zakhartchenko V, Kessler B, Knoch KP, Bickle M, Ludwig B, Johnsson K, Lickert H, Kurth T, Wolf E, Solimena M

Sequential in vivo labeling of insulin secretory granule pools in INS-SNAP transgenic pigs

Wigger L, Barovic M, Brunner AD, Marzetta F, Schöniger E, Mehl F, Kipke N, Friedland D, Burdet F, Kessler C, Lesche M, Thorens B, Bonifacio E, Legido-Quigley C, Barbier Saint Hilaire P, Delerive P, Dahl A, Klose C, Gerl MJ, Simons K, Aust D, Weitz J, Distler M, Schulte AM, Mann M, Ibberson M, Solimena M

Multi-omics profiling of living human pancreatic islet donors reveals heterogeneous beta cell trajectories towards type 2 diabetes

Müller A, Schmidt D, Xu CS, Pang S, D'Costa JV, Kretschmar S, Münster C, Kurth T, Jug F, Weigert M, Hess HF, Solimena M

3D FIB-SEM reconstruction of microtubule-organelle interaction in whole primary mouse β cells

Hoboth P, Müller A, Ivanova A, Mziaut H, Dehghany J, Sönmez A, Lachnit M, Meyer-Hermann M, Kalaidzidis Y, Solimena M

Aged insulin granules display reduced microtubule-dependent mobility and are disposed within actin-positive multigranular bodies

Mziaut H, Trajkovski M, Kersting S, Ehninger A, Altkruger A, Lemaitre RP, Schmidt D, Saeger HD, Lee MS, Drechsel DN, Müller S, Solimena M

Synergy of glucose and growth hormone signalling in islet cells through ICA512 and STAT5

Knoch KP, Bergert H, Borgonovo B, Saeger HD, Altkrüger A, Verkade P, Solimena M

Polypyrimidine tract binding protein promotes insulin secretory granule biogenesis

Berghs S, Aggujaro D, Dirkx R, Maksimova E, Stabach P, Hermel JM, Zhang JP, Philbrick W, Slepnev V, Ort T, Solimena M

betaIV spectrin, a new spectrin localized at axon initial segments and nodes of Ranvier in the central and peripheral nervous system

Solimena M, Dirkx R, Hermel JM, Pleasic-Williams S, Shapiro JA, Caron L, Rabin DU