Capacity and Mechanisms of Beta Cell Regeneration in Humans

描述（由申请人提供）：1型和2型糖尿病都是由胰岛素分泌不足引起的，在这两种疾病中，这在很大程度上可归因于产生胰岛素的胰腺细胞的损失。这两种疾病都可以通过胰腺移植替代胰腺细胞来治愈，但这需要终生抑制免疫，而且器官捐赠者比糖尿病患者少得多。恢复胰腺细胞的另一种方法是促进患者胰腺细胞的再生。最近对老鼠的研究提供了重要的证据

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Both type 1 and 2 diabetes are caused by inadequate insulin secretion, and in both diseases this can be ascribed in large part to loss of pancreatic �-cells that produce insulin. Both diseases can be cured by replacement of pancreatic �-cells by pancreas transplantation but this requires life-long immunosuppression and there are far fewer organ donors than people with diabetes. An alternative approach to restoring pancreatic �-cells is to foster regeneration of �-cells in the patient. Recent studies in mice have provided important insights into how �-cells are formed and their number increased and maintained after birth. Complementary studies in humans are few because of the difficulty in obtaining appropriate material and the difficulty of undertaking lineage tracing studies in humans.