ROLE OF CALCIUM AND ASCORBIC ACID ON INSULIN REGULATORY MECHANISM: A THERAPEUTIC APPROACH FOR TYPE II DIABETES USING MIN 6 CELLS AS MODEL

Insulin secretion from pancreatic ?-cell maintains the blood glucose homeostasis. A defective insulin secretion disturbs the blood glucose level, which ultimately results into the Type-II diabetes mellitus. The rise in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration due to extracellular Ca2+ influx through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels acts as a key regulator for insulin secretion. Ca2+ influx is a triggering signal for insulin release which takes place in a biphasic manner. Ascorbic acid shares structural similarity with glucose and have evidences that supplementation of ascorbic acid relieved various complications of diabetes. This review focuses on the role of extracellular calcium and ascorbic acid in the management of Type 2 diabetes in MIN6 cell line which has unique ability to induce glucose-stimulated insulin secretion similar to the isolated pancreatic islet. Individual studies has been made for both the regulators hence we reviewed simultaneous literature together in order to have new approach which can be of therapeutic use in Type 2 diabetes.