Human islet-like organoids express insulin

“Using stem cell technology, Salk researchers generated the first human insulin-producing pancreatic cell clusters able to evade the immune system. . .”   First, “the team discovered that a protein called WNT4 was able to turn on the ERR-gamma-driven maturation switch.” Then, “the team initially showed that the checkpoint protein PD-L1 protected the transplanted cells. By expressing PD-L1, which acts as an immune blocker, the transplanted organoids are able to hide from the immune system. . .” MORE

Image Credit:   Salk Institute