Beta-Cell Expansion in Vitro

Ex-vivo development of human insulin-producing cells is considered a promising approach for the generation of an abundant supply of cells for β-cell replacement therapy for diabetes, which is currently limited by the shortage of islet donors. The most obvious cell source for these approaches is the islets themselves. However, over the past two decades investigators have been frustrated by their failure to significantly expand functional β cells from cultured adult human islets. As a result, the research emphasis has turned to exploring the potential of embryonic and tissue stem cells to differentiate into β-like cells, as detailed in other chapters in this book. On the other hand, work in recent years has cautiously renewed hopes for the feasibility of ex-vivo expansion of adult human β cells.