The pancreas, liver and small intestine are specialized organs, which respond to changes in blood glucose levels. The presence of glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) and glucokinase (GK, hexokinase IV) enables glucosensing cells to detect blood glucose levels10, 11. We and others have previously demonstrated that tanycytes express several proteins involved in the peripheral glucosensing mechanisms, such as GK (the pancreatic isoform), GLUT2 and the pore-forming subunit of ATP-sensitive potassium channels, Kir6.112–14.