Beta Cell Regeneration

摘要

Beta cell replacement and regeneration therapies seem promising approaches to the treatment of insulindependentndiabetes. The short supply in beta cells from cadaveric organ donors and the very low replication capacity ofnhuman beta cells have spurred efforts to find robust ways of (re-)generating beta cells in vitro and in vivo. In the pancreas,nboth the capacity of regeneration and the mechanism involved can differ significantly depending on the experimentalnmodel, as it has also been found in other organs like the liver. Robust expansion of the beta cell mass in adult rodentnpancreas doesn’t normally occur after partial (50-70%) pancreatectomy nor after beta cell destruction by streptozotocin ornalloxan. However, extensive tissue injury and treatment with certain gastrointestinal hormones, like gastrin and growthnfactors from the EGF-family can stimulate beta cell regeneration. Whereas a slow rate of beta cell mass expansion cannresult from beta cell replication, more robust regeneration depends largely on neogenesis from precursor cells. Precursorncells can be derived from stem cells or from pancreatic exocrine cells which are known to retain phenotypic plasticity andncan transdifferentiate into, amongst others, endocrine cells. Identifying the conditions involved in the regulation ofncellular plasticity and regenerative growth may lead to new pharmacological strategies for the treatment of diabetes.