Understanding how beta cells first form in the developing embryo is providing scientists with the know-how to make these cells in the lab.
The hope is that lab-grown beta cells could, in the future, be used as a therapy for Diabetes. This animation creates a visual story of how we think the pancreas, which is the home of beta cells, forms. From small buds the pancreas develops into the intricate network of branches we see in an adult. Creative scientific experiments are, piece by piece, revealing the complex mechanisms that underpin this dynamic development.