Capacity and Mechanisms of Beta Cell Regeneration in Humans

描述(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，这在很大程度上可以归因于产生胰岛素的胰腺�细胞的丧失。这两种疾病都可以通过胰腺移植替换胰腺�细胞来治愈，但这需要终生免疫抑制，而且器官捐赠者比糖尿病患者要少得多。另一种恢复胰腺�细胞的方法是促进患者体内�细胞的再生。最近对小鼠的研究提供了重要的 洞察�细胞是如何形成的，它们的数量在出生后增加并保持。人类补充研究很少，因为很难获得合适的材料，也很难进行人类血统追踪研究。

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.