Telocytes: current methods of research, challenges and future perspectives.

Telocytes (TCs) are CD34-positive interstitial cells that have long cytoplasmic projections, called telopodes; they have been identified in several organs and in various species. These cells establish a complex communication network between different stromal and epithelial cell types, and there is growing evidence that they play a key role in physiology and pathology. In many tissues, TC network impairment has been implicated in the onset and progression of pathological conditions, which makes the study of TCs of great interest for the development of novel therapies.

Rosiglitazone protects INS-1E cells from human islet amyloid polypeptide toxicity.

Human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP or amylin) is a hormone co-secreted with insulin by pancreatic β-cells, and is the main component of islet amyloid. Islet amyloid is found in the pancreas of patients with type 2 diabetes and may be involved in β-cell dysfunction and death, observed in this disease. Thus, counteracting islet amyloid toxicity represents a therapeutic approach to preserve β-cell mass and function.