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Scientists have broadened our understanding of how weak cells bond with their more mature cellular counterparts to boost the body s production of insulin, improving our knowledge of the processes leading to type 2 diabetes - a significant global health problem.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus occurs when β-cells cannot release enough insulin - a tightly controlled process requiring hundreds of such cells clustered together to co-ordinate their response to signals from food, such as sugar, fat and gut hormones.
An international research team - led by scientists at the University of Birmingham - have discovered that immature β-cells (PDX1LOW/MAFALOW) are able to overcome their relative deficiencies by partnering with stronger counterparts to drive insulin release.