In vitro transdifferentiation of human hepatoma cells into pancreatic-like cells.
Transdifferentiation is defined as an irreversible switch in postnatal life of one differentiated cell to another. Transdifferentiation from different cellular origins into pancreatic-like beta-cells is of clinical significance since this approach may offer a potential cure for diabetes. In order to achieve this goal, the liver is considered as a suitable candidate due to its close developmental relationship to the pancreas, its large size and a well-documented regenerative capacity that could provide enough original tissues to initiate the transdifferentiation procedure. In this chapter, we describe a protocol to overexpress Pdx1, a master regulator essential for pancreas development in the cultured human liver cell line, HepG2.
Li
Wan-Chun
WC
Section of Islet Transplantation and Cell Biology, Joslin Diabetes Center, One Joslin Place, Boston, MA 02215, USA. Wan-chun.Li@joslin.harvard.edu
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D054338:Cell Transdifferentiation; D003584:Cytological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000166:cytology*