Inside our bodies is a small but important organ called the pancreas. One of its main jobs is to produce insulin using special cells known as beta cells.
Insulin acts like a key, unlocking the doors of our cells so sugar from the food we eat can enter and be used for energy.
When the body doesn’t make enough insulin, sugar builds up in the blood instead of going into the cells. This can lead to diabetes, a serious health condition.
Scientists from Weill Cornell Medicine have discovered something new and exciting about beta cells. Not all beta cells are the same! Dr. James Lo and his team found that there are four different kinds of beta cells. They published their findings in the journal Nature Cell Biology.
Among these types, one group stood out. It’s called cluster 1, and it works much better than the others. These cluster 1 beta cells make more insulin and are better at helping the body break down sugar.
Because of their special ability, the researchers called them the ‘superhero’ beta cells. Losing these superhero cells may make people more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
The scientists used a method called single-cell transcriptomics to find this out. This technique allows them to look closely at which genes are turned on in each individual beta cell. Think of genes as instructions that tell a cell what job to do. The superhero beta cells had more active genes that helped them produce insulin and manage sugar levels.
These special cells also had high levels of a protein called CD63, which helped the scientists identify them more easily. The research also showed that humans have these same types of cells, and they work in similar ways to the ones found in mice.
In mice that were obese or had diabetes, there were fewer superhero beta cells. This caused a drop in insulin levels, which is bad for blood sugar control.
But when scientists gave diabetic mice more of these superhero cells, the mice were able to control their blood sugar better. Regular beta cells didn’t help as much, which shows how powerful these special cells are.
The next big question is: Why do diabetic mice lose these superhero cells? Dr. Lo and his team are working to understand this. If they can figure out how to protect or boost these special cells, it might lead to new and better treatments for diabetes.
The researchers also want to know how current diabetes drugs affect different types of beta cells. Learning more about these cells may help doctors create stronger and more targeted treatments for people with diabetes. One day, it might even lead to a way to prevent the disease.
If you’re interested in managing diabetes, there are other helpful studies too. For example, foods like blueberries and whole grains may help, and vitamins such as vitamin D might improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
This discovery is an exciting step toward understanding diabetes and finding better ways to treat it. Thanks to the hard work of scientists, there is hope for millions of people around the world living with this condition.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about The hidden connection between cancer and diabetes uncovered and findings of Scientists find the best way to help people with diabetes lose weight.
For more about diabetes, please read studies about Widely prescribed drug may increase sudden cardiac arrest risk in people with diabetes and findings of These common drugs linked to sudden cardiac arrest in people with type 2 diabetes.
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