Enhanced Diabetes Research with Vascularized Stem Cell Islet Organoids
Scientists have developed vascularized stem cell-derived pancreatic organoids that better mimic the natural environment of the pancreas, enhancing diabetes research and therapy development.
Researchers led by Maike Sander at the Max Delbrück Center have made significant progress in diabetes modeling by creating vascularized organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells. These specially engineered organoids replicate the pancreatic islet environment more accurately by incorporating functional blood vessel networks. Published in Developmental Cell, this breakthrough offers a promising platform for studying pancreatic function and developing therapies.
The team successfully integrated human endothelial cells, which form blood vessels, and fibroblasts into the stem cell-derived pancreatic islet clusters. Through extensive experimentation over five years, they optimized cell culture conditions to promote survival, growth, and maturation of the organoids, resulting in a network of blood vessel-like structures that penetrate the islets.
Compared to non-vascularized organoids, the vascularized versions demonstrated higher insulin secretion, especially under high-glucose conditions, indicating enhanced maturation of beta cells. Mechanistically, the blood vessel cells aid in creating the extracellular matrix and secrete growth factors like BMP, which further promote beta cell development.
The team also incorporated microfluidic systems to simulate blood flow, which further increased cell maturity and function. Importantly, these vascularized organoids proved effective in vivo; when transplanted into diabetic mice, they significantly improved insulin secretion and disease outcomes compared to non-vascularized models.
Looking ahead, Sander’s team aims to use these vascularized organoids to study type 1 diabetes, focusing on immune cell interactions that lead to beta cell destruction. By growing patient-derived organoids and combining them with immune cells on microfluidic chips, the research could unlock new insights into autoimmune processes and pave the way for improved treatments.
This advancement marks a crucial step in creating highly realistic models of pancreatic function, offering valuable tools for understanding diabetes and developing regenerative therapies.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-vascularized-stem-cell-islet-organoids.html
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