A synopsis of factors regulating beta cell development and beta cell mass.
The insulin-secreting beta cells in the endocrine pancreas regulate blood glucose levels, and loss of functional beta cells leads to insulin deficiency, hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) and diabetes mellitus. Current treatment strategies for type-1 (autoimmune) diabetes are islet transplantation, which has significant risks and limitations, or normalization of blood glucose with insulin injections, which is clearly not ideal. The type-1 patients can lack insulin counter-regulatory mechanism; therefore, hypoglycemia is a potential risk. Hence, a cell-based therapy offers a better alternative for the treatment of diabetes. Past research was focused on attempting to generate replacement beta cells from stem cells; however, recently there has been an increasing interest in identifying mechanisms that will lead to the conversion of pre-existing differentiated endocrine cells into beta cells. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of several of the key factors that regulate new beta cell formation (neogenesis) and beta cell proliferation.
Rangos Research Center, Children's Hospital of University of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA.
Krishna
K
Prasadan
Rangos Research Center, Children's Hospital of University of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA.
Chiyo
C
Shiota
Rangos Research Center, Children's Hospital of University of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA.
Xiao
X
Xiangwei
Rangos Research Center, Children's Hospital of University of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA.
David
D
Ricks
Rangos Research Center, Children's Hospital of University of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA.
Joseph
J
Fusco
Rangos Research Center, Children's Hospital of University of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA. gittesgk@upmc.edu.
George
G
Gittes
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009929:Organ Size; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta
Beta cell; GLP-1; Glucagon; Proliferation; Regeneration; Smad7; Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)