Research on Islet Cell Biology

Dear Colleagues,

A unifying barrier across diabetes pathogenesis and islet transplantation is the persistent exposure of β-cells to inflammatory and hypoxic stress. In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, chronic low-grade inflammation—marked by immune cell infiltration and sustained cytokine signaling—converges with intra-islet hypoxia to drive β-cell dysfunction, dedifferentiation, and apoptosis. These same stressors reappear after transplantation: newly implanted islets face an avascular, immune-reactive microenvironment that recreates the inflammatory–hypoxic cycle responsible for early graft loss.

Accurately assessing the functional resilience of these stressed islets remains critical. Ex vivo assays such as glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, oxygen consumption rate, and dynamic perifusion, along with in vivo metabolic testing and advanced imaging, are increasingly used to predict graft competency and guide therapeutic development.

A growing area of focus involves extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by β-cells under inflammatory and hypoxic burden. These vesicles carry stress-specific microRNAs, proteins, and metabolic signatures, positioning them as promising non-invasive biomarkers capable of reporting the real-time health of islets or stem-cell–derived β-cells.

To counter the dual pressures of immune attack and insufficient oxygenation, next-generation encapsulation technologies—including conformal coatings, macrodevices, nanofiber-reinforced hydrogels, and 3D-printed scaffolds—are being engineered to create a protective, pro-survival niche. These biomaterial platforms increasingly incorporate immune-evasive chemistries, localized immunomodulation, and design features that enhance vascularization.

Across the field, the central objective remains consistent: to break the cycle of inflammation and hypoxia that undermines both native β-cells and transplanted grafts. By integrating biomarker discovery, functional assessment tools, advanced biomaterials, and the clinical maturation of pluripotent stem cell-derived islets, ongoing efforts continue to move the field closer to a durable, functional cure for diabetes.

Dr. Mazhar Kanak
Guest Editor

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