[Which stem cells to repair the endocrine pancreas?].

Stem cells represent an important tool for the medicine of the future. They are recognized by two main characteristics: they can divide to produce two identical daughter cells (self-renewal) and can differentiate in several cell types (multipotency). Considering these possibilities, stem cells constitute a unique material for tissular regeneration. In the case of pancreas, several types of stem cells have been intensively studied: embryonic stem cells (ES), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) and adult stem cells. In each case, several strategies have been used to define their identity and to characterize the signals controlling their proliferation and their differentiation into functional insulin-secreting cells. It seems now necessary to determine what the proportion of Myth and Reality is.