Glandular tissue from human pancreas and salivary gland yields similar stem cell populations.
Stem cells derived from pancreatic tissue are well characterized and exhibit a broad plasticity as they can differentiate beyond lineage boundaries into many cell types. The aim of this study was the comparative characterization of pancreatic stem cells with one other derivate of the embryonic foregut, namely salivary glands, for the existence of similar stem cell populations. The expression of stem cell markers as well as lineage-specific markers was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry and immuncytochemical staining. The isolated cells from salivary glands and pancreas grew adherently in vitro and could be maintained for up to 55 and 46 population doublings, respectively. Cells from both tissues showed a comparable phenotype. They expressed different embryonic and adult stem cell markers and had the ability to differentiate spontaneously into cells representing the three embryonic germ layers. Additionally, the directed differentiation of glandular stem cells into the mesodermal lineage was achieved, yielding adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic cells from salivary gland stem cells as well as osteogenic and chondrogenic cells from pancreatic stem cells. Here, we compared two stem cell populations from different glandular tissues which showed similar phenotypes and analogous properties. During embryonic development the two exocrine glands originate from the foregut, which might be the explanation for these intriguing resemblances.
Gorjup
Erwin
E
Department of Cell Biology and Applied Virology, Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Ensheimer Strasse 48, D-66386 St. Ingbert, Germany.
Danner
Sandra
S
Rotter
Nicole
N
Habermann
Jens
J
Brassat
Ute
U
Brummendorf
Tim H
TH
Wien
Sascha
S
Meyerhans
Andreas
A
Wollenberg
Barbara
B
Kruse
Charli
C
von Briesen
Hagen
H
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D019070:Cell Lineage; D006801:Humans; D010179:Pancreas / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D010641:Phenotype; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques
D015415:Biomarkers