Enteroendocrine cell differentiation: Implications for human disease.
Elisa Saint-Denis1, Bianca Frintu1, Madelyn Goldsmith1
1Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
|June 28, 2025
Summary
Enteroendocrine cells regulate gut function and metabolism. Understanding their differentiation and role in diseases like obesity and diabetes is key for developing new therapies, including insulin production.
Area of Science:
- Gastrointestinal Physiology
- Endocrinology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Enteroendocrine cells, though rare in the gastrointestinal epithelium, are crucial hormone producers regulating local and systemic functions.
- Their differentiation from intestinal stem cells involves complex lineage and hormonal specification.
- These cells play roles in whole-body metabolism and intestinal function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review signaling pathways and transcription factors governing enteroendocrine cell differentiation and hormone production.
- To explore the involvement of enteroendocrine cells in aging, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and diabetes mellitus.
- To discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting enteroendocrine cells for insulin production.
Main Methods:
- Literature review integrating existing and recent findings on enteroendocrine cell differentiation.
- Analysis of molecular and physiological drivers of enteroendocrine cell development.
- Examination of the role of enteroendocrine cells in various human diseases.
Main Results:
- Identification of key signaling pathways and transcription factors regulating enteroendocrine cell differentiation.
- Elucidation of enteroendocrine cell involvement and alterations in aging, IBD, obesity, and diabetes.
- Highlighting the emerging field of targeting enteroendocrine cells for therapeutic insulin production.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive understanding of enteroendocrine cell differentiation is vital for advancing therapeutic strategies.
- Enteroendocrine cells are implicated in major human diseases, offering potential therapeutic targets.
- Targeting these cells for insulin production represents a promising future therapeutic avenue.
Related Concept Videos
00:57Cellular Differentiation
3.5K
How does a complex organism such as a human develop from a single cell? It all starts from a single fertilized egg which gives rise to a vast array of cell types, such as nerve cells, muscle cells, and epithelial cells that characterize the adult? Throughout development and adulthood, cellular differentiation leads cells to assume their final morphology and physiology. Differentiation is the process by which unspecialized cells become specialized to carry out distinct functions.
A zygote is a...
A zygote is a...
3.5K
01:16Cells and Secretions of the Pancreas
2.9K
The pancreas, a vital organ within the abdominal cavity, plays dual roles in the digestive and endocrine systems, collaborating with exocrine and endocrine cells to maintain optimal digestion and blood sugar levels.
Exocrine function is carried out by acinar cells, organized into clusters known as acini. These cells contribute to digestion by releasing substantial quantities of enzyme-rich, alkaline digestive juices.
Concurrently, the dispersed clusters of endocrine cells throughout the...
Exocrine function is carried out by acinar cells, organized into clusters known as acini. These cells contribute to digestion by releasing substantial quantities of enzyme-rich, alkaline digestive juices.
Concurrently, the dispersed clusters of endocrine cells throughout the...
2.9K
01:29The Endocrine System
713
The endocrine system is an extensive network of glands – organs or tissues in the body that create chemicals that control many bodily functions, that secrete hormones, which are chemical messengers that play essential roles in regulating various bodily functions. These hormones are secreted into the bloodstream and travel throughout the body. They require specific receptors to convey signals to cells possessing these corresponding receptors. This complex signaling mechanism ensures that...
713
01:28Forced Transdifferentiation
2.0K
Transdifferentiation, also known as lineage reprogramming, was first discovered by Selman and Kafatos in 1974 in silkmoths. They observed that the moths’ cuticle-producing cells transformed into salt-producing cells. Many such cases of natural transdifferentiation occur in organisms. In humans, pancreatic alpha cells can become beta cells. In newts, the loss of the eye’s lens causes the pigmented epithelial cells to transdifferentiate into the lens cells.
Artificial...
Artificial...
2.0K
01:12Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
2.2K
Notch signaling was first discovered in Drosophila melanogaster, where it is involved in cell lineage differentiation. Notch signaling regulates the maintenance and differentiation of intestinal stem cells or ISCs by controlling the expression of atonal homolog 1 or Atoh1. Atoh1 directs cells to differentiate into secretory cells.
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
2.2K
00:59Structures of the Endocrine System
8.5K
The intricate framework of the endocrine system encompasses a diverse array of glands, with their target tissues and organs strategically distributed throughout the body. Central to this network are the endocrine glands, specialized structures that lack ducts and release hormones directly into the interstitial fluid. Notably, the hypothalamus, a vital neuroendocrine organ situated in the brain, governs neural functions and serves as a potent source of hormonal regulation. Near the hypothalamus...
8.5K