24 May
14:00

PhD conferral Ms Anne Gemmink, MSc.

Supervisors: prof.dr. M.K.C. Hesselink, prof.dr. P. Schrauwen
Co-supervisor: prof.dr. M.A.M.J. van Zandvoort

“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.

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