title: Reprogramming of human exocrine pancreas cells to beta cells.
abstract: One of the key promises of regenerative medicine is providing a cure for diabetes. Cell-based therapies are proving their safety and efficiency, but donor beta cell shortages and immunological issues remain major hurdles. Reprogramming of human pancreatic exocrine cells towards beta cells would offer a major advantage by providing an abundant and autologous source of beta cells. Over the past decade our understanding of transdifferentiation processes greatly increased allowing us to design reprogramming protocols that fairly aim for clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Center, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, and Department of Pediatrics and Genetics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Staels
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Center, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Heremans
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Center, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: Harry.Heimberg@vub.ac.be.
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heimberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054338:Cell Transdifferentiation; D000067470:Cellular Reprogramming Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D046790:Pancreas, Exocrine / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
keywords: beta cell; diabetes; pancreas; reprogramming; transdifferentiation