title: Therapeutic Approaches for Preserving or Restoring Pancreatic β-Cell Function and Mass.
abstract: The goal for the treatment of patients with diabetes has today shifted from merely reducing glucose concentrations to preventing the natural decline in β-cell function and delay the progression of disease. Pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and decreased β-cell mass are crucial in the development of diabetes. The β-cell defects are the main pathogenesis in patients with type 1 diabetes and are associated with type 2 diabetes as the disease progresses. Recent studies suggest that human pancreatic β-cells have a capacity for increased proliferation according to increased demands for insulin. In humans, β-cell mass has been shown to increase in patients showing insulin-resistance states such as obesity or in pregnancy. This capacity might be useful for identifying new therapeutic strategies to reestablish a functional β-cell mass. In this context, therapeutic approaches designed to increase β-cell mass might prove a significant way to manage diabetes and prevent its progression. This review describes the various β-cell defects that appear in patients with diabetes and outline the mechanisms of β-cell failure. We also review common methods for assessing β-cell function and mass and methodological limitations in vivo. Finally, we discuss the current therapeutic approaches to improve β-cell function and increase β-cell mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyong Yeun
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lim
keywords: Therapeutic agents; β-Cell function; β-Cell mass