L-cells in the intestine secrete the hormone GLP-1, which is important for regulation of appetite and insulin secretion from the pancreas. Diabetes patients have reduced GLP-1 levels and are therefore treated with molecules that mimick the effect of GLP-1. Despite the importance of GLP-1 our knowledge of how L-cells are regulated is limited.
Impact
Organoids derived from human intestinal stem cells are self-organising 3D-structures that have a tissue architecture and cell composition resembling the intestinal epithelium in our body. L-cells present in the organoids can be studied to increase our knowledge of how the differentiation and function of these cells are regulated.
reNEW research
Astrid M. Baattrup, a PhD student in Kim Jensen’s lab at reNEW Copenhagen has generated a human organoid model, where L-cells are fluorescently labelled and identified new factors that regulate L-cell function and/or hormone expression. Further research is needed, but could potentially lead to new therapeutic avenues for patients suffering from diabetes and obesity.
Image description
L-cells in human intestinal organoids
Credits
Astrid M. Baattrup, PhD student, Kim Jensen’s lab, UCPH