Cryopreservation of stem cell-derived beta-like cells enriches for insulin-producing cells with improved function

The generation of stem cell-derived beta-like cells (sBC) holds extreme promise as not only an abundant insulin-producing cell source for replacement therapy of Type 1 diabetes (T1D), but also as an invaluable model system for investigating human beta cell development, immunogenicity, and function. Several groups have developed methodology to direct differentiate human pluripotent stem cells into pancreatic cell populations that include glucose responsive sBC. Nevertheless, the process of generating sBC poses significant experimental challenges. It involves lengthy differentiation periods, experiences substantial variability in efficiency, and inconsistencies in obtaining functional sBC. Here, we described a simple and effective cryopreservation approach for sBC cultures that yields homogeneous sBC clusters that are enriched for insulin expressing cells while simultaneous depleting proliferative progenitors. Thawed sBC display enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin release compared to controls in vitro and can effectively engraft and function in vivo. Collectively, this approach alleviates current challenges with inefficient and variable sBC generation while improving their functional state. We anticipate that these findings can inform ongoing clinical application of sBC for the treatment of patients with T1D and serve as an important resource for the wider diabetes field that will allow for accelerated research discoveries.