The occurrence of diabetes mellitus is characterized by pancreatic β-cell loss and chronic hyperglycemia. Replacement of β-cells can reverse the disease in many cases. This has driven intense research to uncover the mechanisms underlying pancreatic β-cell development and regeneration, crucial for regenerative medicine approaches aimed at reversing diabetes.

Generating functional insulin-producing cells in vitro from human pluripotent stem cells, fueled by novel knowledge in pathways controlling β-cell development, is a promising strategy. Despite being well-advanced, these methods still need improvement. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms controlling β-cell differentiation during pancreas development can aid in this process.

An attractive therapeutic approach to treat patients with diabetes in a less invasive way is to harness the innate regenerative potential of the pancreas itself. Groundbreaking results from a decade ago showed that β-cell regenerative processes involve the ability of α- and δ-cells of the adult pancreas to convert into insulin producers. Other experimental approaches suggest that insulin-producing cells can arise from other cells within the adult pancreas, including ductal, centro-acinar, and facultative adult progenitors. Despite many potential non-β cell sources being reported, this is still a matter of debate in the field. Experimental conditions probably play a key role in certain regenerative settings. Both the identification of molecules involved in the regeneration of β-cells and the knowledge of the pancreatic cell types involved in this process are of crucial importance to advance toward an effective regenerative therapy in humans.

The aim of this Research Topic is to assemble a series of Original Research and Review articles on novel mechanisms and insights underlying β-cell development and regeneration. Critical views, comments and perspectives on recent advances in the β-cell regenerative field are encouraged.

The areas covered include, but are not limited to:

• β-cell development in rodents and humans, human in vitro β-cell differentiation, and reports on β-cell regeneration under specific experimental settings.

• Integration of results with genome-wide sequencing technologies and single-cell approaches.

• Evaluating the potential recapitulation of developmental mechanisms during specific β-cell regenerative contexts.

This Research Topic intends to illustrate the different facets of the studies currently conducted in this field.

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Frontiers in Endocrinology

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