Role of Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans in Insulin-producing Pancreatic β-cell Function

fl-Cells, which occupy a majority of the pancreatic islets of Langerhans, secrete insulin in response to the concentration of glucose in the blood, and other tissues and cells cannot compensate for their function. When these pancreatic fl-cells are damaged, diabetes develops gradually through impaired glucose tolerance due to deficient insulin secretion. Many factors involved in insulin secretion in pancreatic fl-cells have been investigated in detail, but recently, heparan sulfate sugar chains have been found to be present in mouse pancreatic fl-cells, and it has become clear that heparan sulfate is involved in maintaining the function of pancreatic fl-cells. This mini review focuses on the role of heparan sulfate proteoglycan in pancreatic fl-cells, including the findings obtained in the recent research conducted by the authors' group.