Pancreatic plasticity at work by dynamic scRNA-seq / Cell Metab., Oct. 27, 2023 (Vol. 35, Issue 11)

Mayur Doke, Juan Domínguez-Bendala, and colleagues report that the integration of scRNA-seq datasets obtained from human pancreatic slices at different time points, with or without the regenerative factor BMP-7, reveals distinct differentiation waves where the barriers between the various compartments of the pancreas seem to blur along a ductal-to-acinar-to-endocrine axis. Following differentiation from an acinar-like transitional stage, neogenic insulin-producing cells are detected in slices of type 1 diabetes donors, exhibiting full beta cell-like functionality in response to glucose stimulation. These results open the door to the design of pharmacological approaches to restore beta cell mass in patients, bypassing the need for transplantation.
Check out the paper at www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/f....
M. Doke, S. Álvarez-Cubela, D. Klein, I. Altilio, J. Schulz, L. Mateus Gonçalves, J. Almaça, C.A. Fraker, A. Pugliese, C. Ricordi, et al. (2023). Dynamic scRNA-seq of live human pancreatic slices reveals functional endocrine cell neogenesis through an intermediate ducto-acinar stage. Cell Metab. 35.
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