Making beta cells from people with type 1 diabetes Research Update Dec. 27, 2016 Scientists generated functional \u00ce\u00b2 (beta) cells from the skin cells of people with type 1 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, a misguided attack by the immune system leads to destruction of insulin-producing \u00ce\u00b2 cells found in clusters called islets in the pancreas. Although administration of insulin via injections or a pump is life-saving, it does not mimic the exquisite blood glucose (sugar) control of the pancreas. Therefore, scientists are pursuing strategies to replace the destroyed \u00ce\u00b2 cells. One way to do that is through islet transplantation-an experimental procedure using islets from a cadaveric donor. The procedure has shown promise for people with difficult-to-control diabetes, but has significant challenges: donor islet tissue is limited, and immunosuppressive medications, which have toxic side effects, are required to prevent rejection of tissue transplanted from another individual. Toward overcoming the first barrier, scientists recently developed a new laboratory production method to make large quantities of \u00ce\u00b2 cells-called stem-cell derived \u00ce\u00b2 (SC-\u00ce\u00b2) cells-from human stem cells. This method could, with further development, be used to make \u00ce\u00b2 cells from a sample of cells from a person with type 1 diabetes in the quantities needed for transplantation back into that same person. These cells would likely require protection from the autoimmune attack, but might not require toxic immunosuppressive medications to prevent rejection of the tissue. To investigate this possibility, in new research, scientists used skin cells from three people with type 1 diabetes (T1D cells) and three people without diabetes (ND cells). By introducing specific factors into these cells and using the new large-scale production method they developed, they made the skin cells become stem cells-cells that could subsequently become any cell type. They then, by introducing other factors, coaxed these stem cells to become SC-\u00ce\u00b2 cells (T1D SC-\u00ce\u00b2 cells and ND SC-\u00ce\u00b2 cells). Cells from the two different origins showed no differences in the ability to become SC-\u00ce\u00b2 cells, indicating for the first time that cells from a person with type 1 diabetes could be used to make SC-\u00ce\u00b2 cells. Next, the scientists demonstrated that the T1D SC-\u00ce\u00b2 cells functioned like healthy \u00ce\u00b2 cells. For example, in laboratory culture, T1D SC-\u00ce\u00b2 cells secreted insulin in response to glucose; they also released insulin in response to diabetes drugs that are known to stimulate insulin secretion, demonstrating their potential for use in screening for new diabetes drugs. The T1D SC-\u00ce\u00b2 also functioned in live animals: when T1D SC-\u00ce\u00b2 cells were transplanted into male mice, they produced insulin in response to glucose and controlled the animals’ blood glucose levels. Many research questions remain before an SC-\u00ce\u00b2 cell transplant procedure will be ready for testing in humans. First, it remains possible that differences between T1D<\/p>\n