Researchers from The University of California, San Francisco, USA, have recently reported the efficient conversion of human adult skin cells into functional pancreatic β-like cells. Endodermal progenitor cells were first established from adult human fibroblasts using a non-integrative episomal reprogramming approach. The team then identified conditions that enabled the differentiation of these cells, first into posterior foregut-like progenitors and then into pancreatic endodermal progenitors. In vitro maturation of this latter progenitor cell type generated insulin-producing, glucose-responsive pancreatic β-like cells in high numbers. Upon transplantation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice, these β-like cells exhibited glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and afforded protection against diabetes mellitus. These findings bring islet regeneration in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus one step closer.