Researchers have successfully reconstructed human pluripotent stem cell-derived islets that contain all five essential endocrine cell types. Unlike previous versions that primarily focused on insulin-producing cells, these new islets incorporate a balanced composition of both $eta$ and non-$eta$ cells. When transplanted into diabetic mice, these engineered islets demonstrated the ability to regulate blood glucose levels in both directions, effectively lowering high sugar levels while also preventing dangerous drops. This development is significant because it restores the natural counterregulatory response needed to protect against hypoglycemia, a common and life-threatening risk in diabetes treatment. By calibrating the ratio of different cell subtypes, the study provides a more stable and safer method for achieving glycemic homeostasis. Overall, this work addresses a major safety hurdle in moving stem cell-based therapies closer to clinical use for patients with type 1 diabetes.

References:

• Meng G, Gu J, Liew S Y, et al. Reconstruction of endocrine subtype-complete human pluripotent stem cell-derived islets with capacity for hypoglycemia protection in vivo[J]. Cell Stem Cell, 2025, 32(9): 1438-1456. e7.