Basic Research
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 14, 2005; 11(22): 3426-3430
Published online Jun 14, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i22.3426
Adult islets cultured in collagen gel transdifferentiate into duct-like cells
Jin Lu, Ya-Peng Gu, Xia Xu, Mei-Lian Liu, Ping Xie, Hui-Ping Song
Jin Lu, Ya-Peng Gu, Xia Xu, Mei-Lian Liu, Ping Xie, Hui-Ping Song, Department of Biochemistry, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410078, Hunan Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Professor Hui-Ping Song, Department of Biochemistry, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Changsha 410078 Hunan Province, China. huiping_song@hotmail.com
Telephone: +86-731-2355115
Received: July 2, 2004
Revised: July 3, 2004
Accepted: September 9, 2004
Published online: June 14, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To establish a model of islet-ductal cell transdifferen-tiation to identify the transdifferentiated cells.

METHODS: Collagen was extracted from rat tail at first. Purified rat islets were divided into three groups, embedded in collagen gel and incubated respectively in DMEM/F12 alone (control group), DMEM/F12 plus epidermal growth factor (EGF), DMEM/F12 plus EGF and cholera toxin (CT). Transdifferentiation was proved by microscopy, RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and RIA.

RESULTS: Islets embedded in collagen gel plus EGF and CT were cystically transformed and could express new gene cytokeratin 19 while still maintaining the expression of insulin and Pdx-1 genes. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that the protein of cytokeratin 19 was only expressed in the third group. The insulin content secreted by islets in the third group decreased significantly during the transdiffe-rentiation.

CONCLUSION: CT is a crucial factor for the islet-ductal cell transdifferentiation.

Keywords: Islets of Langerhans, Ductal cell, Transdiffer-entiation