title: Cellular stress drives pancreatic plasticity.
abstract: Controversy has long surrounded research on pancreatic beta cell regeneration. Some groups have used nonphysiological experimental methodologies to build support for the existence of pancreatic progenitor cells within the adult pancreas that constantly replenish the beta cell pool; others argue strongly against this mode of regeneration. Recent research has reinvigorated enthusiasm for the harnessing of pancreatic plasticity for therapeutic application--for example, the transdifferentiation of human pancreatic exocrine cells into insulin-secreting beta-like cells in vitro; the conversion of mouse pancreatic acinar cells to beta-like cells in vivo via cytokine treatment; and the potential redifferentiation of dedifferentiated mouse beta cells in vivo. Here, we highlight key findings in this provocative field and provide a perspective on possible exploitation of human pancreatic plasticity for therapeutic beta cell regeneration.
authors: Section of Islet Cell and Regenerative Biology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA. Department of Cell Biology, Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
authors: Ivan A
authors: IA
authors: Valdez
authors: Section of Islet Cell and Regenerative Biology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA. Present address: Discovery Research Division, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Singapore. Present affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore. Present affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117596, Singapore. rohit.kulkarni@joslin.harvard.edu ateo@imcb.a-star.edu.sg.
authors: Adrian K K
authors: AK
authors: Teo
authors: Section of Islet Cell and Regenerative Biology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA. rohit.kulkarni@joslin.harvard.edu ateo@imcb.a-star.edu.sg.
authors: Rohit N
authors: RN
authors: Kulkarni
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010179:Pancreas / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D046790:Pancreas, Exocrine / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D012038:Regeneration; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins