Stem Cells Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Stem Cells, including details on research, transplants, therapy, benefits.

In vitro cultivation of islet-like cell clusters from human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Gao F, Wu DQ, Hu YH, Jin GX, Li GD, Sun TW, Li FJ

Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medicine University, Harbin, China.

A major obstacle to successful islet transplantation for both type 1 and 2 diabetes is an inadequate supply of insulin-producing tissue. In vitro transdifferentiation of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs) into insulin-producing cells could provide an abundant source of cells for this procedure. For this study, we isolated and characterized human UCB-MSCs and induced them in vitro to differentiate into islet-like cell clusters using a 15-day protocol based on a combination of high-glucose, retinoic acid, nicotinamide, epidermal growth factor, and exendin-4. These clusters appeared about 9 days after pancreatic differentiation; expressed pancreatic beta-cell markers, including insulin, glucagon, Glut-2, PDX1, Pax4, and Ngn3; and could synthesize and secrete functional islet proteins at the end of the inducing protocol. The insulin-positive cells accounted for (25.2-3.36)% of whole induced cells. Although insulin secretion of those insulin-producing cells did not respond to glucose challenge very well, human UCB-MSCs have the ability to differentiate into islet-like cells in vitro and may be a potential new source for islet transplantation.

Published 2 June 2008 in Transl Res, 151(6): 293-302.
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