Gachon University Cancer and Diabetes institute

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Research Outline

Research Background
Blood glucose concentration is normally controlled by hormones produced in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Insulin, produced by pancreatic beta cells, is released when the concentration of glucose in the blood rises and induces glucose uptake from the blood to muscle and fat tissues, restoring normal blood concentrations. Diabetes mellitus is a devastating disease characterized by uncontrolled hyperglycemia, which causes serious clinical problems including blindness, kidney failure, stroke, heart disease, and vascular disease. There are two major forms of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. In type 1 diabetes, beta cells are lost by autoimmune-mediated destruction, resulting in absolute deficiency of insulin. In type 2 diabetes, both insulin resistance and reduction of the beta cell mass occur. Therefore, restoration of deficient beta cell mass by transplantation from exogenous sources or by endogenous regeneration of insulin-producing cells would be therapeutic options. Mature beta cells have an ability to proliferate; however, it has been shown to be difficult to expand adult beta cells in vitro. Alternatively, regeneration of beta cells from embryonic and adult stem cells and pancreatic progenitor cells is an attractive method to restore islet cell mass.

Research Contents

About LAB

Introduction of laboratory
Our research has focused on the resoration of beta cell mass by regeneration of beta cells using beta cell growth factors in vivo, islet neogenesis from adult stem cells such as intestine or adipocyte stem cells, replacement of beta cells using insulin-producing non-beta cells, and prevention of beta cell damage. In addition, we are also studying on the anti-diabetic effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 and prevention of autoimmune-mediated beta cell destruction.

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