NKX6-1 and diabetes mellitus: Supporting the possibility of ⍺- to β-cell transdifferentiation for diabetes treatment, in vitro studies in cell cultures have shown that overexpression of β-cell factors such as PDX1, MAFA, and NKX6.1 can transform human adult ⍺-cells into insulin-secreting cells that are able to form pseudo-islets with nearly normal insulin secretion [51].