Genome editing of human pancreatic beta cell models: problems, possibilities and outlook.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind beta cell dysfunction is essential for the development of effective and specific approaches for diabetes care and prevention. Physiological human beta cell models are needed for this work. We review the possibilities and limitations of currently available human beta cell models and how they can be dramatically enhanced using genome-editing technologies. In addition to the gold standard, primary isolated islets, other models now include immortalised human beta cell lines and pluripotent stem cell-derived islet-like cells. The scarcity of human primary islet samples limits their use, but valuable gene expression and functional data from large collections of human islets have been made available to the scientific community. The possibilities for s

SUBMITTER: Balboa D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6647170 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature