(1,2). The frequency of the insulin pulses is important for the action of the hormone. Significantly less insulin is required when administered in a pulsatile fashion rather than as a bolus injection (3-7), which may result in different expression of the insulin receptor on target tissue (8). Indeed, a contributing cause to the glucose intolerance in type 2 diabetes may be related to the loss of the regular accentuated plasma insulin oscillations (9,10), which could aggravate insulin resistance by receptor downregulation.The oscillatory behavior seems to be intrinsic of the -cell. Oscillations in the -cell membrane potential, cytoplasmic Ca 2ϩ concentration ([Ca 2ϩ ] i ), and metabolism, with similar frequencies as the plasma insulin oscillations, have been described and suggested to be responsible for the pulsatile release of insulin (11-19). However, observations and conclusions made from experiments with isolated -cells or islets do not necessarily translate into the in vivo situation. When evaluating the possible effects of oscillatory membrane potential, [Ca 2ϩ ] i , and metabolism on plasma insulin oscillations, oscillatory activities with different frequencies have to be considered. In this context, the oscillatory activity with a frequency of 2-7 oscillations (osc) per minute and that with a frequency of 0.2-0.4 osc/min will be discussed. Experimental observations of these rapid and slow islet oscillatory activities in vivo and in vitro are reviewed, together with an in vivo model of the -cell, where the role of the oscillatory activities in membrane potential, [Ca 2ϩ ] i , and metabolism for the generation of plasma insulin oscillations are presented and discussed.
IN VITRO OSCILLATIONS OF ISLET MEMBRANE POTENTIAL AND [Ca 2؉ ] iRapid oscillations in membrane potential and [Ca 2ϩ ] i (2-7 osc/min) have been observed and characterized in the isolated islet (14,15,20 -29). The membrane potential measurements consist of "slow waves," which are periods of depolarization when accumulations of action potentials ("bursts") promote influx of Ca 2ϩ , interspersed with periods of hyperpolarization, when no Ca 2ϩ influx is present. These slow waves give rise to the rapid oscillations in [Ca 2ϩ ] i . The glucose concentration affects both the duration of the bursts and the time relationship between periods of depolarization and hyperpolarization, i.e., the frequency of the slow waves (30).Slow oscillations (0.2-0.4 osc/min) in [Ca 2ϩ ] i (15,23,26 -28,31) and in membrane potential activity (32-34) have been recorded and characterized in the isolated islet. The frequency of these oscillations is not affected by the glucose concentration (23,27). The slow oscillations of [Ca 2ϩ ] i are primarily observed in cultured islets. As the culture period is extended, the rapid [Ca 2ϩ ] i oscillations disappear in favor of the slow ones, which also disappear after prolonged culture (31). The glucose concentration during culture is also decisive for the [Ca 2ϩ ] i oscillatory pattern (26). Although a low...