Authors:

Prerana Thilavalli

Date Created:

Not specified

Course Title:

Professor:

Not specified

About Paper:

Pancreatic Beta Cells Pancreatic β-cells are the body's sole insulin-producing cells and depend on mitochondrial integrity for proper function, as mitochondrial metabolism directly regulates insulin secretion. Even early alterations in mitochondrial structure can impair insulin release and contribute to the progression of diabetes. This study investigates the effects of BefA, a microbiota-derived protein, on mitochondrial network remodeling in β-cells. INS-1 cells are treated with BefA and compared to untreated controls, as well as FK506 and AICAR, which serve as reference conditions for mitochondrial dysfunction and adaptive remodeling, respectively. Mitochondrial morphology is quantitatively assessed using confocal imaging and computational analysis of network features, including mitochondrial count, connectivity, and fragmentation. Preliminary findings confirm that FK506 induces mitochondrial fragmentation, validating the experimental and analytical approach. Ongoing work focuses on assessing cellular energy dynamics and extending these findings to an in vivo zebrafish model. This study aims to characterize the effects of BefA on mitochondrial organization in β-cells and provide insight into how microbiome-derived factors may influence β-cell health. 351 UNIVERSITY OF OREGON • 2026 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM TABLE OF CONTENTS

Source:

University of Oregon / 2026

Topics:

No topics listed

Co-authors:

Prerana Thilavalli