Nestin-positive progenitor cells isolated from human fetal pancreas have phenotypic markers identical to mesenchymal stem cells.
OBJECTIVE
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Zhang
Ling
L
Department of Endocrinology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 Huayuanbeilu, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China.
Hong
Tian-Pei
TP
Hu
Jiang
J
Liu
Yi-Nan
YN
Wu
Yong-Hua
YH
Li
Ling-Song
LS
D015415:Biomarkers; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D064231:Nestin; D010641:Phenotype; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; C577484:NES protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin