Research on diabetes has often focused on insulin-producing beta cells, even though they make up only about 0.5–2% of all the cells in the pancreas. Recently, scientists have started to look beyond beta cells and consider how the entire pancreas affects the development of diabetes.
Other hormone-producing cells in the pancreas also change during diabetes. For example, when beta cells stop making enough insulin, alpha cells often produce too much glucagon, which raises blood sugar levels even more. In a healthy pancreas, alpha, delta, and epsilon cells communicate with beta cells to keep blood sugar balanced. In diabetes, this communication breaks down, causing hormone levels to become unbalanced.
Outside the pancreatic islet (the group of hormone-producing cells), ducts carry digestive enzymes from the pancreas to the intestine. In a healthy body, duct cells help support the function of beta cells and the overall health of the islet. However, when these ducts are blocked or damaged (as seen in Type 3c diabetes), they can release signals that cause stress and inflammation. These harmful conditions can damage the pancreas and affect insulin production, which can lead to diabetes.
Blood vessels also play an important role. They carry hormones that regulate blood sugar from the pancreas to the rest of the body. In Type 2 diabetes, the small blood vessels in the islet can become thicker and more broken apart, making it harder for insulin to travel through the bloodstream. The cells that form these blood vessels also help support and communicate with beta cells. In diabetes, this communication is disrupted, which can damage both the beta cells and the blood vessels.
The pancreas is a complex organ, and diabetes is a complex disease. By looking at the whole pancreas—not just beta cells—we can better understand how diabetes affects the body. This broader view may help scientists develop treatments that take into account how all the different cells in the pancreas work together.
About the author
Camryn Moline
Camryn is a graduate student in cell biology at the University of Alberta researching the role of the pancreatic microenvironment in the development of diabetes. Camryn is studying cystic fibrosis-related diabetes and how cells in the exocrine pancreas may contribute to diabetes.
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