Pancreatic Beta Cell Regeneration: Duct Cells act as Progenitors in Adult Zebrafish

Diabetes is characterized by the loss of insulin-producing beta cells. One promising therapeutic approach is to replenish the pancreas with bona fide functional beta cells by triggering regeneration mechanisms. Previous studies have reported beta cell neogenesis but still remain controversial about their origin and are hampered by very limited regenerative capabilities of mammals. This is contrasting with the astonishing ability of zebrafish to spon-taneously regenerate its beta cells and restore normoglycemia after massive beta cell ablation1. Among the different pancreatic cell types, duct cells have been proposed as a promising source for beta cell replacement in regard to their progenitor capabilities during development. Our project focuses on the role of pancreatic duct cells and the molecular mechanisms involved during beta cell regeneration in adult Zebrafish. To that end we used and de-veloped tools to analyze pancreatic duct cells in normal and regenerating conditions and conducted RNA-sequencing experiments.