Se trata de la hormona GLP-1 (péptido 1 similar al glucagón), que se libera en respuesta a la ingesta de alimento y que ayuda a regular los niveles de glucosa en sangre.
En su experimento, tomaron células madre pancreáticas y las cultivaron en el laboratorio para que se transformaran en células productoras de insulina exponiéndolas a la hormona GLP-1. Esas células madre, tal como habían publicado los mismos autores anteriormente, pueden encontrarse en los islotes y ductos del páncreas.
De ese modo, creen que pueden producirse células productoras de insulina en grandes cantidades para trasplantar a pacientes diabéticos, lo que sería de gran utilidad dada la escasez de donantes de tales células.
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