

Beta cell mass at type 1 diabetes onset varies and may not match severity of clinical presentation. First, beta cell mass is markedly heterogeneous in people with type 1 diabetes and even amongst those without diabetes. This figure is available as a downloadable slideĪ number of themes are evident from the published literature.
The sims 1 beta license#
Copyright details: the serum C-peptide graph is derived from, published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( ), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium the image for the generation of new beta cells is from, adapted by permission from Springer Nature © 2005 the image for altered/variable autoimmunity is from, adapted by permission from Springer Nature © 2014. Mastracci (personal communication Indiana Biosciences Research Institute and the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA) and shows a pancreatic islet from an individual with type 1 diabetes for 20 years, in which beta cells have not been lost and continue to express both proinsulin and insulin (proinsulin, green insulin, red DAPI, blue ). The histological image for nPOD donor 6038 was provided by T. Insulin is stained in brown and glucagon in red. Richardson (personal communication University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK) and shows an insulin-containing pancreatic islet from a 39-year-old organ donor with type 1 diabetes for 20 years (diagnosed aged 19). The histological image for nPOD donor 6328 was provided by S. regulation of immune responses or a diminishing immune response may reduce beta cell destruction and (3) that heterogeneity of beta cells may lead to beta cell protection. Potential explanations for this phenomenon include: (1) new beta cell growth via neogenesis, transdifferentiation and cell regeneration/turnover (2) variation in intensity of autoimmune response, e.g. serum C-peptide, insulin and proinsulin studies) have provided evidence for the persistence of insulin-producing beta cells in long-duration type 1 diabetes. Persistent beta cells in type 1 diabetes. Here, we describe the human evidence behind some of these issues, highlight current areas of uncertainty and suggest future areas that should be addressed by the research community. They have also raised a number of fundamental questions regarding the trajectory of beta cell loss, the source of residual beta cells, whether a pool of ‘sleeping’ or dysfunctional beta cells could be enhanced or rejuvenated and whether there is potential for new growth of beta cells (Fig. These findings have shifted our understanding away from the model of complete and inevitable beta cell destruction that is described in many textbooks as part of the Eisenbarth model of type 1 diabetes. This stems from the observation that some individuals with long-duration disease retain measurable levels of serum C-peptide and exhibit the persistence of insulin-positive islets even decades after diagnosis. Recent research has challenged the dogma that all beta cells are eventually destroyed in type 1 diabetes. Finally, future areas of research are suggested to help resolve the source and phenotype of residual beta cells that persist in some, but not all, people with type 1 diabetes.


We also discuss evidence for restoration of beta cell function, as opposed to mass, in recent-onset type 1 diabetes, but highlight the absence of data supporting functional recovery in the setting of long-duration diabetes. We review recent contributions to the debate around beta cell abnormalities contributing to the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. We highlight that evidence for new beta cell growth in humans many years from diagnosis is limited, and that this growth may be very minimal if at all present. In this Review, we describe histological and in vivo evidence of persistent beta cells in type 1 diabetes and discuss the limitations of current methods to distinguish underlying beta cell mass in comparison with beta cell function. These findings have raised a number of questions regarding how the remaining beta cells have escaped immune destruction, whether pools of ‘sleeping’ or dysfunctional beta cells could be rejuvenated and whether there is potential for new growth of beta cells. Histological analysis of donor pancreases coupled with measurement of serum C-peptide in clinical cohorts has challenged the idea that all beta cells are eventually destroyed in type 1 diabetes.
