Basic Research
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. May 21, 2005; 11(19): 2906-2911
Published online May 21, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i19.2906
Nestin-positive progenitor cells isolated from human fetal pancreas have phenotypic markers identical to mesenchymal stem cells
Ling Zhang, Tian-Pei Hong, Jiang Hu, Yi-Nan Liu, Yong-Hua Wu, Ling-Song Li
Ling Zhang, Tian-Pei Hong, Yong-Hua Wu, Department of Endocrinology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100083, China
Jiang Hu, Yi-Nan Liu, Ling-Song Li, Stem Cell Research Center, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100083, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30170443; Major State Basic Research Development Program of China, No. 2001CB510105 and “211” Project Foundation of Peking University
Correspondence to: Dr. Tian-Pei Hong, Department of Endocrinology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 Huayuanbeilu, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China. tpho66@bjmu.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-10-62017691-8212 Fax: +86-10-62017700
Received: June 19, 2004
Revised: June 20, 2004
Accepted: July 22, 2004
Published online: May 21, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To isolate nestin-positive progenitor cells from human fetal pancreas and to detect their surface markers and their capability of proliferation and differentiation into pancreatic islet endocrine cells in vitro.

METHODS: Islet-like cell clusters (ICCs) were isolated from human fetal pancreas by using collagenase digestion. The free-floating ICCs were handpicked and cultured in a new dish. After the ICCs developed into monolayer epithelium-like cells, they were passaged and induced for differentiation. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunofluorescence stain, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and radioimmunoassay (RIA) were used to detect the expression of cell markers.

RESULTS: (1) The monolayer epithelium-like cells had highly proliferative potential and could be passaged more than 16 times in vitro; (2) RT-PCR analysis and immunofluorescence stain showed that these cells expressed both nestin and ABCG2, two of stem cell markers; (3) FACS analysis revealed that CD44, CD90 and CD147 were positive, whereas CD34, CD38, CD45, CD71, CD117, CD133 and HLA-DR were negative on the nestin-positive cells; (4) RT-PCR analysis showed that the mRNA expression of insulin, glucagon and pancreatic-duodenal homeobox gene-1 was detected, whereas the expression of nestin and neurogenin 3 disappeared in these cells treated with serum-free media supplemented with the cocktail of growth factors. Furthermore, the intra-cellular insulin content was detected by RIA after the induction culture.

CONCLUSION: Nestin-positive cells isolated from human fetal pancreas possess the characteristics of pancreatic progenitor cells since they have highly proliferative potential and the capability of differentiation into insulin-producing cells in vitro. Interestingly, the nestin-positive pancreatic progenitor cells share many phenotypic markers with mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow.

Keywords: Fetus; Nestin; Pancreas; Stem cells