Generating β cells from stem cells-the story so far.
Despite intensive research, a treatment for diabetic patients that completely restores normoglycemia for an indefinite period of time remains elusive. Although islet transplantation temporarily confers normoglycemia to patients, the lack of a renewable source of insulin-producing β cells hampers the use of this treatment option. Although significant hurdles remain, recent advances in stem cell biology indicate that generation of fully matured β cells from uncommitted progenitor cells, including human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells derived from somatic cell populations, is becoming an achievable goal.
Diabetes Center, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA. mhebrok@diabetes.ucsf.edu
Matthias
M
Hebrok
D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy*; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology