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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2026

Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Insulin-Producing Islet Clusters

Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Insulin-Producing Islet Clusters

Published on: June 23, 2023

Heterogeneous endocrine cell composition defines human islet functional phenotypes.

Carmella Evans-Molina^{1,2,3,4,5,6,7}, Yasminye D Pettway⁸, Diane C Saunders⁹

¹Departments of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA. cevansmo@iu.edu.

Nature Communications

|May 12, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Human islet cell composition varies significantly, impacting hormone secretion and type 2 diabetes risk. Understanding this heterogeneity is key for personalized diabetes medicine and cell therapy.

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Last Updated: May 14, 2026

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Single-cell RNA Sequencing and Analysis of Human Pancreatic Islets

Single-cell RNA Sequencing and Analysis of Human Pancreatic Islets

Published on: July 18, 2019

Area of Science:

Endocrinology
Genetics
Diabetes Research

Background:

The Integrated Islet Distribution Program (IIDP) is a major U.S. source of human islets for research.
Standardized phenotyping and genotyping are crucial for analyzing islet preparations.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the heterogeneity of human islet cell composition.
To explore associations between islet cell composition and various factors including hormone secretion, demographics, and type 2 diabetes (T2D) genetic risk.

Main Methods:

Analysis of islet preparations from 299 non-diabetic organ donors using a standardized phenotyping and genotyping pipeline.
Integration of multiple data types to assess islet cell composition and secretory traits.

Main Results:

Substantial heterogeneity in islet cell composition (alpha, beta, delta cells) was observed.
Islet cell composition was associated with hormone secretory traits, sex, race/ethnicity, predicted ancestry, and T2D genetic risk score (GRS).
Delta cell abundance showed the strongest association with insulin secretion and T2D GRS.

Conclusions:

Human islet heterogeneity is linked to diverse factors, influencing diabetes mechanisms and islet dysfunction.
Findings may inform personalized medicine approaches and strategies for beta cell replacement therapy.