Importance of Extranuclear Estrogen Receptor-α and Membrane G Protein–Coupled Estrogen Receptor in Pancreatic Islet Survival

Abstract

E(2) protects beta-cell survival through ERalpha and ERbeta via ERE-independent, extra-nuclear mechanisms, as well as GPER-dependent mechanisms. The present study adds a novel dimension to estrogen biology in beta-cells and identifies GPER as a target to protect islet survival.