Functional beta-cell maturation is marked by an increased glucose threshold and by expression of urocortin 3

B Blum, S Hrvatin, C Schuetz, C Bonal, A Rezania… - Nature …, 2012 - nature.com
B Blum, S Hrvatin, C Schuetz, C Bonal, A Rezania, DA Melton
Nature biotechnology, 2012nature.com
Insulin-expressing cells that have been differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells in
vitro lack the glucose responsiveness characteristic of mature beta cells. Beta-cell
maturation in mice was studied to find genetic markers that enable screens for factors that
induce bona fide beta cells in vitro. We find that functional beta-cell maturation is marked by
an increase in the glucose threshold for insulin secretion and by expression of the gene
urocortin 3.
Abstract
Insulin-expressing cells that have been differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells in vitro lack the glucose responsiveness characteristic of mature beta cells. Beta-cell maturation in mice was studied to find genetic markers that enable screens for factors that induce bona fide beta cells in vitro. We find that functional beta-cell maturation is marked by an increase in the glucose threshold for insulin secretion and by expression of the gene urocortin 3.
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