Abstract
Ductal structures of the adult pancreas contain stem cells that differentiate into islets of Langerhans. Here, we grew pancreatic ductal epithelial cells isolated from prediabetic adult non-obese diabetic mice in long-term cultures, where they were induced to produce functioning islets containing α, β and δ cells. These in vitro-generated islets showed temporal changes in mRNA transcripts for islet cell-associated differentiation markers, responded in vitro to glucose challenge, and reversed insulin-dependent diabetes after being implanted into diabetic non-obese diabetic mice. The ability to control growth and differentiation of islet stem cells provides an abundant islet source for β-cell reconstitution in type I diabetes.
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Ramiya, V., Maraist, M., Arfors, K. et al. Reversal of insulin-dependent diabetes using islets generated in vitro from pancreatic stem cells. Nat Med 6, 278–282 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/73128
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/73128
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