Researchers from Standford University reprogrammed primary adult human pancreatic ductal cells into progeny resembling native β-cells in vitro.
Researchers from Standford University described “fractionation, expansion and conversion of primary adult human pancreatic ductal cells into progeny resembling native β-cells in vitro. Expression of the cardinal islet developmental regulators Neurog3, MafA, Pdx1 and Pax6 converted exocrine duct cells into endocrine progeny with hallmark β-cell properties, including the ability to synthesize, process and store insulin, and secrete it in response to glucose or other depolarizing stimuli”. The most important element of this cocktail, Neurog3, is a transcription factor necessary and sufficient for pancreatic endocrine cell differentiation in vivo.