Maggie Fye
University of Arizona
Irina Kaverina lab
In the Kaverina lab, we are focused on the role that the cytoskeleton (including microtubules and actin) plays in beta cell insulin secretion and diabetes. Under normal conditions, microtubules and actin can help insulin get to the beta cell membrane for secretion; but they also make sure that not too much is secreted. A “meal” in the form of glucose stimulation causes the cytoskeleton to change to allow insulin to be secreted. We primarily use confocal and other microscopy techniques to generate high-resolution images and movies of these cellular structures.