Hormone-producing cells in the human gut are difficult to study, as they are very rare and unique to different species of animals. Researchers from the Hubrecht Institute and Utrecht University developed an extensive toolbox to study human hormone-producing cells in tiny versions of the gut grown in the lab, called organoids. Organoids allowed them to uncover secrets of the human gut, for example which potential hormones can be made by the gut and how the secretion of these hormones is triggered. These findings offer potential new avenues for the treatment of diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and obesity.