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Updated: May 14, 2026

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-Molina1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Yasminye D Pettway8, Diane C Saunders9
1Departments of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA. cevansmo@iu.edu.
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.
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.
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