Pancreatic Stem Cells

The aim of Pancreatic Stem Cells is to provide a broad overview of an intriguing model of organogenesis (the development of the pancreas) from the perspective of stem cell research. The tangible prospect of devising effective cell therapies for type I diabetes-a disease thus far considered incurable-has stoked a widespread interest in harnessing our knowledge on the basic biology behind the development of this organ. This text is conceived as an all-encompassing guide to explore the many aspects of "regenerative therapies" for the endocrine pancreas, from adult and embryonic stem cells to endogenous regeneration and transdifferentiation. All these themes are built upon an up-to-date discussion on pancreatic ontogeny, which provides a solid background for both basic scientists and health professionals. Book jacket.

Table of Contents: Preface. Importance of the subject in the context of type I diabetes (2-3 pages) The pancreas (15 pages) Pancreatic development (50-60 pages) Pancreatic regeneration (30-40 pages) Models of regeneration Stem cells vs. beta cell replication Stem cell differentiation: general approaches (20-30 pages) Recapitulation of pancreatic development Signal-driven strategies Gene transfer and protein transduction Physiological variables Embryonic stem cells and pancreatic differentiation (40 pages) Adult stem cells and pancreatic differentiation (60 pages) Bone marrow Umbilical cord Ductal and acinar cells Mesenchymal stem cells and de-differentiation Transdifferentiation (30 pages) Remaining challenges and clinical perspectives (20-30 pages)