Maturation of beta cells: lessons from in vivo and in vitro models – published online 04/03/2022

Tom Barsby, Timo Otonkoski

Many recent studies have uncovered novel molecular insights into the functional maturation of beta cells following postnatal development and throughout stem cell-derived islet differentiation. In this issue, Barsby and Otonkoski (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-022-05672-y) draw together recent findings in the regulatory and metabolic mechanisms underlying this maturation. The authors discuss how the interplay of nutrient sensitivity, metabolic signatures and circadian regulation are all important facets of functional maturation that regulate (and are regulated by) the transcriptomic state of the beta cell. This review further highlights that beta cell maturation is not a binary process and encompasses processes beyond the acquisition of a beta cell identity and the expression of a subset of particular single marker genes. The figures from this review are available as a downloadable slideset.

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