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

Blum, Barak; Hrvatin, Siniša; Schuetz, Christian; Bonal, Claire; Rezania, Alireza; Melton, Douglas A · Nat Biotechnol · 2012

basic_science · Level V

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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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