Cell replacement therapy for diabetics by liver to pancreas transdifferentiation

Transdifferentiation is the direct reprogramming of adult cells into alternate cell types with different function. Liver to pancreas transdifferentiation (TD) induced by ectopic expression of pancreatic transcription factors (pTFs) was first described by our group both in vivo (1) and in human liver cells in vitro (2). Aim: Disclose the mechanism that mediate the developmental reprogramming process of adult human liver cells into endocrine pancreatic cells. Determine the developmental barriers that restrict this process efficiency and suggest modalities to increase the process efficiency. Finally, the clinical and industrial translation of adult cells reprogramming will be discussed.