Researchers genetically alter human pancreatic ductal cells to produce insulin
A team at Harvard Medical School reported in Science Translational Medicine that they engineered human pancreatic ductal cells to function as insulin-producing beta cells.
Scientists identify a specific gene target
Researchers conducted a genetic screen by breaking bits of DNA across the genome to find drivers of cell transformation. Jian Li, a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard Medical School, led this study published in Science Translational Medicine. The team removed a specific gene to see which components were essential for the cells to change identity.
Engineered cells respond to blood sugar
The modified ductal cells began producing and releasing insulin when exposed to high blood sugar levels. This approach offers a potential long-term treatment for people whose pancreas lacks functional beta cells. Adult bodies usually keep cells fixed in their identities, making this transformation an unusual phenomenon.
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