title: All mixed up: defining roles for β-cell subtypes in mature islets.
abstract: Following differentiation during fetal development, β cells further adapt to their postnatal role through functional maturation. While adult islets are thought to contain functionally mature β cells, recent analyses of transgenic rodent and human pancreata reveal a number of novel heterogeneity markers in mammalian β cells. The marked heterogeneity long after maturation raises the prospect that diverse populations harbor distinct roles aside from glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. In this review, we outline our current understanding of the β-cell maturation process, emphasize recent literature on novel heterogeneity markers, and offer perspectives on reconciling the findings from these two areas.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer S E
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hebrok
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007328:Insulin; D005947:Glucose
keywords: aging; maturation; pancreatic islets; stem cell differentiation; β-cell; β-cell heterogeneity