Bioengineered islands of Langerhans
Scientists have created mature pancreatic cells from stem cells for the first time
Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+
For a long time, this opportunity remained a dream for regenerative medicine. The achievement of the American team opens the way to the creation of new methods of diabetes treatment.
Modern methods of therapy for type I diabetes mellitus are aimed at reducing symptoms: insulin injections do not treat the disease, but support the functioning of the body. However, over time, severe complications arise – kidney failure, diseases of the cardiovascular system and others.
American scientists from the University of California at San Francisco has made a breakthrough and is offering an alternative approach: the team for the first time turned human stem cells into mature insulin-producing cells, according to the university's website (Functional Insulin-Producing Cells Grown In Lab).
Previously, many scientists faced the same problem: cells got stuck at an intermediate stage when they could not adequately respond to blood glucose levels and secrete insulin, the authors explain.
The created cells act in the same way as the beta cells of the pancreas. And now it is possible to produce them for future transplantation to people.
Scientists drew attention to the previously overlooked stage of beta cell development - at the time of the creation of the so–called Langerhans islands. The team reproduced this process in the laboratory by artificially separating partially differentiated stem cells and converting them into islet clusters.
As a result, cell development suddenly accelerated: simultaneously, all islet clusters began to react to blood sugar levels in the same way as it usually happens in mature insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.
Positive changes were also noted in less studied islet cells: alpha and delta cells. As you know, beta cells produce insulin, alpha cells produce the hormone glucagon, and delta cells produce somatostatin. Together, these three hormones regulate blood sugar levels.
In the figure, beta cells are indicated in green, alpha cells are indicated in blue, and delta cells are indicated in red.
After transplanting these cells to mice, they functioned for several days and produced insulin no worse than their own islet cells.
Now the team is working on developing new methods for cell transplantation to patients. The goal is to stop using drugs to suppress the immune system.
Recall that if a patient with type 1 diabetes has severe complications, then he is shown a pancreatic transplant. This is very rarely feasible due to the lack of donors. In addition, the operation requires the suppression of one's own immunity. Clinical trials are also underway, where the possibility of transplantation of islet cells only is being studied, however, this method still depends on the availability of donor biomaterial. The method developed by American scientists should open up unprecedented opportunities for treatment.
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