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Development of pancreatic islets (review).
1Otsuka Department of Clinical and Molecular Nutrition, School of Medicine, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
International Journal of Molecular Medicine
|February 24, 1999
Summary
Islet cells can regenerate in adults, offering hope for restoring pancreatic function in diabetes. This review details factors influencing islet cell development and regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Islet cells differentiate from pancreatic duct epithelial cells during embryogenesis.
- Islet cells possess regenerative capacity in adult pancreases.
- This regeneration potential suggests a possible therapeutic approach for diabetes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review factors regulating islet cell development and regeneration.
- To explore the potential for restoring pancreatic islets in diabetic patients.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on pancreatic development and islet cell regeneration.
- Categorization of regulatory factors including differentiation factors, transcriptional factors, growth factors, hormones, and cell adhesion molecules.
Main Results:
- Identified key regulatory factors involved in islet development: Shh, activin, follistatin, TGF alpha, PDX1, Isl1, Pax4, Pax6, Nkx2.2, Nkx6.1, BETA2, HNF, EGF family, HGF, IGF-I, IGF-II, Reg, INGAP, PDGF, FGF, VEGF, NGF, insulin, GH family, PTHrP, TRH, gastrin, N-CAM, and cadherins.
- Highlighted the regenerative potential of islet cells in adult pancreases.
Conclusions:
- The regenerative capacity of islet cells presents a promising avenue for treating diabetes by restoring pancreatic function.
- Understanding the complex interplay of regulatory factors is crucial for harnessing this regenerative potential therapeutically.