Qiang Li and colleagues have created "cyborg" pancreatic organoids that combine stretchy miniature electronics with stem cell-derived pancreatic islets, using the implanted electronics to monitor electrical activity related to glucose regulation in maturing α and β cells. Islet α and β cells secrete glucagon and insulin hormones, in response to electrical changes in the cell membrane. The researchers also used the electronics to stimulate the cells to enhance their glucose responsiveness and show how that responsiveness changes as the cells mature, how it is affected by different chemical compounds and circadian hormones, and how it is related to gene expression. Together, the cyborg organoids offer a path to study the biology and trace the maturation of α and β cells at the single-cell level, with an eye toward potentially treating or engineering new pancreatic islets in people with diabetes. In a related Perspective, Jochen Lang and Matthieu Raoux discuss how the cyborgs could be used to guide the growth of mature human pancreatic organoids for regenerative medicine and other applications.
Cyborg Pancreatic Organoids Track Islet Cell Growth
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
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