PhD conferral Ms Anne Gemmink, MSc.

“Myocellular lipid droplets and insulin sensitivity: A microscopy approach”

Keywords: Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, fat accumulation in muscles

Insulin resistance lies at the basis of type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance is often paired with increased fat deposits in muscle tissue, which some people claim to be the cause; however, highly trained and insulin-sensitive athletes also store a lot of fat in their muscles, which serves to counter this causal relationship. This dissertation examines the distinct characteristics of fat accumulation in insulin-sensitive and insulin-resistant states using techniques such as microscopy. The most important conclusion is that normal lipid droplets that come into contact with the protein PLIN5 are associated with higher insulin sensitivity.