Engineering pancreatic islets

Pancreatic islets are neuroendocrine organs that control blood glucose home ostasis. The precise interplay of a heterogeneous group of cell populations (beta, alpha, delta and PP cells) results in the fine-tuned release of cou nterbalanced hormones (insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and pancreatic polyp eptide respectively). Under the premises of detailed knowledge of the physi ological basis underlying this behaviour, two lines of investigation might be inferred: generating computational and operational models to explain and predict this behaviour and engineering islet cells to reconstruct pancreat ic endocrine function. Whilst the former is being fuelled by new computatio nal strategies, giving biophysicists the possibility of modelling a system in which new "emergent" properties appear, the latter is benefiting from th e useful tools and strategic knowledge achieved by molecular, cell and deve lopmental biologists. This includes using tumour cell lines, engineering is let cell precursors, knowledge of the mechanisms of differentiation, regene ration and growth and, finally, therapeutic cloning of human tissues. Gaini ng deep physiological understanding of the basis governing these processes is instrumental for engineering new pancreatic islets.