Better understanding of pancreatic cell development
Researchers at VUB and UZ Brussels demonstrate the essential role of iron in the maturation and functioning of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. A discovery that offers hope in the fight against diabetes.
An international team of scientists, led by researchers from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and UZ Brussel, has shown in a study recently published in Nature Communications that young beta cells, the tiny factories in the pancreas that produce insulin, have an enormous need for iron in order to mature and become functional. Without this essential mineral, the cells die prematurely, which can eventually contribute to the development of diabetes.
‘We have known for some time that excess iron can be harmful to the pancreas, but what we did not know until now is that iron is actually essential for its development. Our results show that iron is a necessary ingredient for transforming an immature cell into a healthy, functional beta cell,’ explains Professor Willem Staels, paediatric endocrinologist (VUB).
According to the researchers, this is an important new step in the search for ways to grow beta cells in the laboratory as a replacement therapy for people with diabetes.