How, When, and Where Do Human beta-Cells Regenerate?
Basile, G; Kulkarni, RN; Morgan, NG
Date: 27 June 2019
Journal
Current Diabetes Reports
Publisher
Springer
Publisher DOI
Abstract
Purpose of Review
Pancreatic β-cells play a critical role in whole-body glucose homeostasis by regulating the release of insulin in response to minute by minute alterations in metabolic demand. As such, β-cells are staunchly resilient but there are circumstances where they can become functionally compromised or physically lost due ...
Purpose of Review
Pancreatic β-cells play a critical role in whole-body glucose homeostasis by regulating the release of insulin in response to minute by minute alterations in metabolic demand. As such, β-cells are staunchly resilient but there are circumstances where they can become functionally compromised or physically lost due to pathophysiological changes which culminate in overt hyperglycemia and diabetes.
Recent Findings
In humans, β-cell mass appears to be largely defined in the postnatal period and this early replicative and generative phase is followed by a refractory state which persists throughout life. Despite this, efforts to identify physiological and pharmacological factors which might re-initiate β-cell replication (or cause the replenishment of β-cells by neogenesis or transdifferentiation) are beginning to bear fruit.
Summary
Controlled manipulation of β-cell mass in humans still represents a holy grail for therapeutic intervention in diabetes, but progress is being made which may lead to ultimate success.
Institute of Biomedical & Clinical Science
Collections of Former Colleges
Item views 0
Full item downloads 0