Establishment of clonal colony-forming assay system for pancreatic stem/progenitor cells

Cell Transplant. 2002;11(5):451-3.

Abstract

Pluripotent stem cells found in a number of organs are usually in small cell populations. However, under adaptive stimulation, they enter the stage of growth and differentiation to compensate for the loss of differentiated cells. To analyze stem cell potential precisely, the exclusion of other differentiated cells and a clonal assay system are strongly required. In this study, we established a colony-forming assay system for pancreatic stem/progenitor cells in vitro. In this culture condition, they received signals for growth and differentiation, and formed clonal colonies including pancreatic endocrine-lineage cells, such as alpha and beta cells. By combining this culture system with flow cytometric cell sorting, pancreatic stem/progenitor cells will be enriched, and their potential can be analyzed precisely in single cell-based experiments.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Clone Cells
  • Colony-Forming Units Assay / methods*
  • Glucagon / isolation & purification
  • Insulin
  • Islets of Langerhans / growth & development
  • Mice
  • Pancreas / cytology*
  • Proglucagon
  • Proinsulin / isolation & purification
  • Protein Precursors / isolation & purification
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Stem Cells / physiology

Substances

  • Insulin
  • Protein Precursors
  • Proglucagon
  • preproinsulin
  • Glucagon
  • Proinsulin