Novel Findings in Pancreatic β-Cell Research: Heterogeneity and Dynamics of β-Cells, a New Paradigm
A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Physiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2021) | Viewed by 400
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The classical description of pancreatic β-cells in Langerhans’ islets explains their role in regulating glycemia, which is disrupted when metabolic diseases appear. Under this view, β-cells behave as the center of a stable feedback mechanism producing insulin depending on blood glucose levels. Such a view is becoming obsolete as evidence is accumulating on the pancreatic β-cell heterogeneity. Moreover, such heterogeneity can reflect the dynamic evolution of these cells over time. We currently know that β-cells are in continuous development, from maturation to senescence, exposed to different challenges that can trigger pathologies such as metabolic syndrome or diabetes. Such a heterogeneity can explain differential responsiveness to glucose—as well as differential susceptibility to environmental injuries. Research progress can help us to understand whether β-cells types or categories can be defined or, contrarily, whether cell types are an artifact from sampling along with continuous development. Independently from the clarification of this disjunction, the fact is that heterogeneity at different levels (molecular, structural, responsiveness) can imply different susceptibilities to environmental challenges along time. Therefore, a new paradigm is necessary to incorporate the concept of heterogeneity in β-cells throughout subjects’ lives and, consequently, their different resilience degree to environmental (metabolic) disturbances that can lead to metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Such a new paradigm may establish the degree of reversibility of the injuries consequences through new, more specific, therapeutic approaches.
Prof. J. V. Sánchez-Andrés
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- Pancreatic β-cells
- glycemia regulation
- islets of Langerhans
- insulin
- metabolic syndrome
- diabetes
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