G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are usually highlighted as being both the largest
family of membrane proteins and the most productive source of drug targets. However, most …

The complement system is an evolutionary old and crucial component of innate immunity,
which is key to the detection and removal of invading pathogens. It was initially discovered …

Peptide hormones are first produced as larger precursor prohormones that require
endoproteolytic cleavage to liberate the mature hormones. A structurally conserved but …

Type 1 diabetes is characterized by selective loss of beta cells and insulin secretion, which
significantly impact glucose homeostasis. However, this progressive disease is also …

Although cases of independent adaptation to the same dietary niche have been
documented in mammalian ecology, the molecular correlates of such shifts are seldom …

Background Isovaleric acid (IVA) is a 5-carbon branched-chain fatty acid present in
fermented foods and produced in the colon by bacterial fermentation of leucine. We …

Peptide-based intercellular communication is a ubiquitous and ancient process that
predates evolution of the nervous system. Cilia are essential signaling centers that both …

Simple Summary Pancreatic islets are micro-organs composed of several endocrine cell
types, including α-cells (secreting glucose-elevating glucagon), β-cells (releasing glucose …

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) provide a mechanism for intercellular communication that
transports complex signals in membrane delimited structures between cells, tissues and …

Glucagon is the principal glucose-elevating hormone that forms the first-line defence against
hypoglycaemia. Along with insulin, glucagon also plays a key role in maintaining systemic …