Diabetes mellitus: an opportunity for therapy with stem cells?
In both Type 1 and 2 diabetes, insufficient numbers of insulin-producing beta-cells are a major cause of defective control of blood glucose and its complications. Restoration of damaged beta-cells by endocrine pancreas regeneration would be an ideal therapeutic option. The possibility of generating insulin-secreting cells with adult pancreatic stem or progenitor cells has been investigated extensively. The conversion of differentiated cells such as hepatocytes into beta-cells is being attempted using molecular insights into the transcriptional make-up of beta-cells. Additionally, the enhanced proliferation of beta-cells in vivo or in vitro is being pursued as a strategy for regenerative medicine for diabetes. Advances have also been made in directing the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into beta-cells. Although progress is encouraging, major gaps in our understanding of developmental biology of the pancreas and adult beta-cell dynamics remain to be bridged before a therapeutic application is made possible.
Sordi
Valeria
V
Laboratory of Experimental Surgery, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy.
Bertuzzi
Federico
F
Piemonti
Lorenzo
L
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin