Table 3.

Studies showing ex vivo recovery of beta cell function.

Ref. in This Article	Number of Samples	Experimental Design	Results
[28]	26 islet preparations from non-diabetic subjects	2-day incubation with lipo-glucotoxic stressors followed by 4 days of washout; Insulin release in response to 3.3 and 16.7 mmol/L glucose during static incubation	Recovery of beta cell function after washout of some of the metabolic stressful conditions, associated with specific transcriptomic changes
[67]	7 islet preparations from non-diabetic subjects	48 h incubation at 5.5 or 16.7 mmol/L glucose followed by 48 h washout; Insulin release in response to 3.3 and 16.7 mmol/L glucose during perifusion	Recovery of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion after washout
[68]	4 islet preparations from non-diabetic subjects	2 preparations incubated at 5.5 mmol/L glucose and 2 at 33 mmol/L glucose for 4–9 days; 1 preparation of the latter incubated for 6 days at 33 mmol/L glucose and then for 3 days in normal glucose; Insulin release in response to 3.3 and 16.7 mmol/L glucose during static incubation	Recovery of insulin mRNA expression and insulin secretion after washout
[69]	6 islet preparations from T2D donors	24 h incubation with metformin; Insulin release in response to 3.3 and 16.7 mmol/L glucose during static incubation or perifusion	Improved glucose-stimulated insulin release; Beneficial action on the expression of genes involved in redox balance: Ameliorated beta cell ultrastructure
[70]	18 islet preparations (11 non-diabetic and 7 T2D donors)	Exposure to exendin-4 for 48 h; Insulin release in response to 3.3 and 16.7 mmol/L glucose during static incubation	Improved glucose-stimulated insulin release; Beneficial actions on expression of genes involved in beta cell function and identity
[71]	26 islet preparations (17 non-diabetic and 9 T2D donors)	Exposure to autophagy inducers (rapamycin) or blockers (3-methyladenince, concanamycin-A) for 2–5 days, in the presence or not of palmitate or brefeldin A; Insulin release in response to 3.3 and 16.7 mmol/L glucose during static incubation	Rapamycin-exposed diabetic islets showed improved insulin secretion, reduced apoptosis and better ultrastructure

T2D, type 2 diabetes.