miRNAs in Islet Biology and Diabetes: Progress, Gaps, and Opportunities

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS: This perspective marks the commemoration of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Medicine for miRNA discovery and reflects on more than two decades of research linking miRNAs to islet biology and diabetes. We very briefly summarize key roles of islet miRNAs in β-cell development, function, and immune interactions and identify major gaps in current knowledge. We discuss emerging concepts in miRNA regulation, cellular heterogeneity, and therapeutic targeting, alongside ongoing challenges in biomarker validation. Our view underscores that integrating mechanistic, single-cell, and translational approaches will be essential to advance miRNA-based therapies.