Credit: Credit: Laboratory of Dr. Vincent Poitout, CRCHUM. According to the article “Urea impairs beta cell glycolysis and insulin secretion in chronic kidney disease” published August 15, 2016 in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Modification of proteins in pancreatic beta cells
Description: Microscopic picture of insulin-producing beta cells from a person with normal kidney function (top) and a patient with chronic renal failure (bottom). The modification of proteins observed in the beta cells (designated by dashed lines) of the patient, known as glycosylation, is responsible for the defect in insulin secretion.