Development of multipotent cells in human embryonic pancreas and the influence of GLP-1

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Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disease that affects at least 1.2 million people in the UK. It can lead to a number of complications, including blindness and kidney disease. Although injectable insulin represents a life-saving treatment for Type 1 diabetes, it falls a long way short of a cure. Restoring the cells in the pancreas that are damaged in diabetes (beta cells) could offer a potential cure. However to do this in a safe manner a greater understanding of how beta cells first occur during early human development is required. My research will aim to address this, by studying how pancreatic cells develop, identifying the genes and signalling processes involved. Recently I have begun to tease apart the time frame when early pancreatic cells are capable of forming all cells in the pancreas. In addition, preliminary evidence suggests a hormone, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is important. Significantly, drugs that mimic GLP-1 are currently being used in the treatment of Type 2 DM. Any information on how these agents might stimulate new beta cell formation would therefore be very exciting. Better understanding of underlying mechanisms might also bring to light new pathways that could be exploited therapeutically for beta cell regeneration.