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Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Insulin-Producing Islet Clusters
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Less is more: Reducing zinc to boost stem cell-derived islet function and survival
Hazem Ibrahim1, Diego Balboa1, Timo Otonkoski2
1Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
Cell Stem Cell
|April 3, 2026
Abstract
None:
Zinc is required for insulin packaging into secretory granules, yet reduced zinc transporter activity paradoxically enhances beta cell function. In this issue, Wang et al.1 show that pharmacologic inhibition of zinc transport in stem cell-derived islets activates AMPK signaling and improves maturation, hypoxia resistance, VEGFA expression, and graft performance.

