Synaptotagmins (Syt) play important roles in Ca2؉ -induced neuroexocytosis. Insulin secretion of the pancreatic -cell is dependent on an increase in intracellular Ca 2؉ ; however, Syt involvement in insulin exocytosis is poorly understood. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction studies showed the presence of Syt isoforms III, IV, V, and VII in rat pancreatic islets, whereas Syt isoforms I, II, III, IV, V, VII, and VIII were present in insulin-secreting TC3 cell. Syt III and VII proteins were identified in rat islets and TC3 and RINm5F -cells by immunoblotting. Confocal microscopy showed that Syt III and VII co-localized with insulin-containing secretory granules. Two-fold overexpression of Syt III in RINm5F -cell (Syt III cell) was achieved by stable transfection, which conferred greater Ca 2؉ sensitivity for exocytosis, and resulted in increased insulin secretion. Glyceraldehyde ؉ carbachol-induced insulin secretion in Syt III cells was 2.5-fold higher than control empty vector cells, whereas potassium-induced secretion was 6-fold higher. In permeabilized Syt III cells, Ca 2؉ -induced and mastoparan-induced insulin secretion was also increased. In Syt VII-overexpressing RINm5F -cells, there was amplification of carbachol-induced insulin secretion in intact cells and of Ca 2؉ -induced and mastoparan-induced insulin secretion in permeabilized cells. In conclusion, Syt III/VII are located in insulincontaining secretory granules, and we suggest that Syt III/VII may be the Ca 2؉ sensor or one of the Ca 2؉ sensors for insulin exocytosis of the -cell.Insulin exocytosis from the -cell of the islets of Langerhans is stimulated by various physiological secretagogues that include glucose, amino acids, and receptor-mediated agonists such as acetylcholine, cholecystokinin, and glucagon like-peptide 1 (1-7). A common mechanism of action for these secretagogues is to cause an increase in cytosolic Ca 2ϩ . Elevation of intracellular Ca 2ϩ is due to an influx of extracellular Ca 2ϩ through voltage-dependent L-type Ca 2ϩ channel and/or mobilization of intracellular Ca 2ϩ from the endoplasmic reticulum (8 -17). However, the mechanisms by which Ca 2ϩ induces insulin granule fusion with the plasma membrane of -cell remain unclear (1,16,18,20,21).1 is a family of membrane proteins initially found to be expressed in brain. At the present, 11 members of Syt have been identified (22,23). The Syt molecule has a single transmembrane domain and two Ca 2ϩ regulatory C 2 domains. The C 2 domains mediate Ca 2ϩ -dependent and Ca 2ϩ -independent interactions with target molecules that may regulate membrane fusion and membrane budding reactions (24,25). Literature concerning the expression and functions of Syt in pancreatic -cell is very limited and contradictory. In an earlier study (26), Syt was found in the non--cell of the islet mantle, but not in the -cell, using a non-isoform-specific antibody, and the mRNAs of Syt A and B were absent in mouse pancreatic -cell and RINm5F cells as demonstrated by in situ hybridization...