Mitochondria, Redox and Pancreatic β-Cells: Maturation, Function and Inflammatory Stress

Dear Colleagues,

Type 2 diabetes is a common condition whereby pancreatic β-cells fail to match insulin secretion to metabolic demand, especially under nutrient overload and maladaptation. This Special Issue focuses on the mitochondrial–redox axis that underpins β-cell identity, stimulus–secretion coupling, and stress vulnerability. We welcome basic, translational, and clinical studies clarifying how mitochondrial bioenergetics, dynamics, and quality control intersect with redox signaling to shape β-cell maturation, insulin secretory competence, and resilience—or susceptibility—to cytokines, lipotoxicity, glucotoxicity, and islet inflammation. Topics include respiratory-chain control of ATP/ADP coupling; ER–mitochondria Ca²⁺ crosstalk; ROS/RNS signaling and antioxidant defenses; mitochondrial dynamics, biogenesis, UPR^mt, and mitophagy; metabolic inflexibility, dedifferentiation, and senescence; innate immune pathways and inflammasome activation; extracellular vesicles and redox communication; single-cell multi-omics; advanced imaging; human islets and iPSC-derived organoids; biomarkers of mitochondrial/redox dysfunction; and mitochondria- or redox-targeted therapeutics. Our goal is to present a forward-looking collection of studies that advance our understanding of the mechanisms of β-cell function and yield testable diagnostics and therapies for its preservation. Topics of interest include the following:

• Mitochondrial bioenergetics, ETC dysfunction, and insulin secretion;
• Redox signaling, oxidative stress, and antioxidant defenses in β-cells;
• Mitophagy, UPR^mt, and mitochondrial quality control under inflammatory stress;
• ER–mitochondria Ca²⁺ crosstalk and metabolic coupling;
• β-cell maturation, identity, dedifferentiation, and senescence in T1D/T2D contexts;
• Cytokine signaling, inflammasomes, and islet immune–metabolic interfaces;
• Extracellular vesicles and redox-mediated intercellular communication;
• Human islets, iPSC-derived β-cells, organoids;
• Single-cell/spatial omics and imaging;
• Biomarkers and noninvasive readouts of mitochondrial/redox status;
• Therapeutic strategies.

Dr. Sarah Zangen
Guest Editor

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