{
  "id": 13037344,
  "title": "Islet size and spatial organization govern endocrine cell composition throughout the human pancreas",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/islet-size-and-spatial-organization-govern-endocrine-cell-composition",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-08T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.01.756003v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The composition of endocrine cells within human islets is significantly influenced by their size and spatial organization. Researchers examined 10 age-matched, non-diabetic male subjects, focusing on the relationships between islet size, endocrine cell composition, and spatial distribution across the entire pancreas. Insulin-, glucagon-, and somatostatin-positive endocrine cells were identified in various populations, ranging from individual cells to larger clusters.\n\nApproximately 80% of the total endocrine area was found within islets that produced all three hormones. The study revealed a strong correlation between islet size and endocrine composition. Larger islets demonstrated a higher proportion of alpha cells and a reduced proportion of beta cells. Delta-cell fractions remained consistent regardless of islet size. Spatial analysis further demonstrated that non-islet single hormone cells, mono-, and tri-hormone islets often displayed a clustered distribution.\n\nInterestingly, tri-hormone islets were predominantly located near the core of the pancreas, while mono-somatostatin islets were frequently found in the peripheral regions. These patterns were consistent across all three regions of the pancreas: the head, body, and tail. Understanding these relationships between islet size, endocrine cell composition, and spatial organization is crucial for establishing physiological benchmarks for islet engineering and transplantation in the treatment of type 1 diabetes.",
  "summary": "Stem cell-derived (SC) islets hold promise as a transformative therapy for type 1 diabetes (T1D). To enhance graft uniformity, SC-islet organoids are often dissociated and reaggregated into standardized sizes. However, how endocrine cell composition varies with islet size in native human islets remains largely unknown. Defining this relationship is essential for establishing physiological…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}