title: Creating new β cells: cellular transmutation by genomic alchemy.
abstract: To address insulin insufficiency, diabetes research has long focused on techniques for replacing insulin-producing β cells. Studies in mice have suggested that, under some conditions, α cells possess the capacity to transdifferentiate into β cells, although the mechanisms that drive this conversion are unclear. In this issue, Bramswig et al. analyzed the methylation states of purified human α, β, and acinar cells and found α cells exhibit intrinsic phenotypic plasticity associated with specific histone methylation profiles. In addition to expanding our understanding of this potential source of β cells, this compendium of carefully generated human gene expression and epigenomic data in islet cell subtypes constitutes a truly valuable resource for the field.
authors: Duke University Medical Center, Stedman Research Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. larry.moss@duke.edu
authors: Larry G
authors: LG
authors: Moss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D050416:Glucagon-Secreting Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational