title: Functional beta-cell maturation is marked by an increased glucose threshold and by expression of urocortin 3.
abstract: Insulin-expressing cells that have been differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells in vitro lack the glucose responsiveness characteristic of mature beta cells. Beta-cell maturation in mice was studied to find genetic markers that enable screens for factors that induce bona fide beta cells in vitro. We find that functional beta-cell maturation is marked by an increase in the glucose threshold for insulin secretion and by expression of the gene urocortin 3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Barak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: Siniša
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hrvatin
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schuetz
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonal
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rezania
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Melton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D054832:Urocortins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D054832:Urocortins; D005947:Glucose