Resumen de ß-Cell Mass and Turnover in Humans: Effects of obesity and aging

Yoshifumi Saisho, Alexandra E. Butler, Erica Manesso, David Elashoff, Robert A. Rizza, Peter C. Butler

• Abstract OBJECTIVE We sought to establish ß-cell mass, ß-cell apoptosis, and ß-cell replication in humans in response to obesity and advanced age.

  RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We examined human autopsy pancreas from 167 nondiabetic individuals 20�102 years of age. The effect of obesity on ß-cell mass was examined in 53 lean and 61 obese subjects, and the effect of aging was examined in 106 lean subjects.

  RESULTS ß-Cell mass is increased by ~50% with obesity (from 0.8 to 1.2 g). With advanced aging, the exocrine pancreas undergoes atrophy but ß-cell mass is remarkably preserved. There is minimal ß-cell replication or apoptosis in lean humans throughout life with no detectable changes with obesity or advanced age.

  CONCLUSIONS ß-Cell mass in human obesity increases by ~50% by an increase in ß-cell number, the source of which is unknown. ß-Cell mass is well preserved in humans with advanced aging.