Editing Glucose (section)

=== Regulatory role in cell differentiation ===
In addition to its well-known function as a cellular energy source, glucose has been identified as a master regulator of tissue maturation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Study reveals glucose's surprising role as master manipulator of tissue maturation |url=https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/03/glucose-tissue-regeneration-study-diabetes-cancer |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=news.stanford.edu |language=en}}</ref> A 2025 study by Stanford Medicine uncovered that glucose, in its intact (non-metabolized) form, can bind to various regulatory proteins involved in gene expression. One such protein is IRF6, which alters its conformation upon glucose binding, thereby influencing the expression of genes associated with stem cell differentiation. This regulatory role is independent of glucose’s catabolic function and has been observed across multiple tissue types, including skin, bone, fat, and white blood cells. The research demonstrated that even glucose analogs incapable of metabolism could promote differentiation, suggesting a signaling function for glucose. These findings have potential implications in understanding and treating diseases characterized by impaired differentiation, such as diabetes and certain cancers.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lopez-Pajares |first1=Vanessa |last2=Khavari |first2=Paul A. |date=2025-03-21 |title=Glucose is a global regulator of tissue maturation independent of its metabolic role |url=https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2025/03/glucose-tissue-regeneration.html |journal=Cell Stem Cell |publisher=Stanford University School of Medicine}}</ref>