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Bioengineering Pancreatic Organoids and iPSC-Derived β-Cells for Diabetes: Materials, Devices, and Translational
Abdullah Jabri1, Mohamed Alsharif1, Bader Taftafa1
1College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia.
Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 4, 2026
Summary
Diabetes is caused by beta-cell loss. Pancreatic organoids and stem cell-derived beta-cells show promise for regenerative medicine, but challenges remain for clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Stem Cell Biology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus results from beta-cell dysfunction, and current treatments don't restore natural insulin secretion.
- Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived beta-cells and pancreatic organoids offer potential for disease modeling and regenerative medicine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review advances in pancreatic organoids and iPSC-derived beta-cells for diabetes research and therapy.
- To explore the role of bioengineering in enhancing these cell-based systems.
- To identify challenges hindering clinical translation and future directions.
Main Methods:
- Development of pancreatic organoids from various pancreatic cell populations.
- Generation of iPSC-derived beta-like cells using improved differentiation protocols.
- Application of bioengineering strategies: biomaterials, microfluidics, co-culture, bioprinting, and CRISPR editing.
- Assessment of functional maturity, stability, and vascular integration.
Main Results:
- Pancreatic organoids and iPSC-derived beta-cells can mimic native tissue features and secrete insulin.
- Bioengineering approaches improve system stability, vascularization, and function.
- Challenges include variable differentiation efficiency, incomplete beta-cell maturity, and poor long-term survival.
Conclusions:
- Pancreatic organoids and iPSC-derived beta-cells are valuable tools for diabetes research and developing beta-cell replacement therapies.
- Continued integration of bioengineering is crucial for advancing reproducible and clinically viable beta-cell regeneration.
