title: A low frequency of pancreatic islet insulin-expressing cells derived from cord blood stem cell allografts in humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to establish if stem cells contained in cord blood cell allografts have the capacity to differentiate into insulin-expressing beta cells in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied pancreases obtained at autopsy from individuals (n = 11) who had prior opposite-sex cord blood transplants to reconstitute haematopoiesis. Pancreatic tissue sections were stained first by XY-fluorescence in situ hybridisation and then insulin immunohistochemistry. Pancreases obtained at autopsy from participants without cord blood cell infusions served as controls (n = 11).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the men with prior transplant of female cord blood, there were 3.4 ± 0.3% XX-positive insulin-expressing islet cells compared with 0.32 ± 0.05% (p < 0.01) in male controls. In women with prior transplant of male cord blood cells we detected 1.03 ± 0.20% XY insulin-expressing islet cells compared with 0.03 ± 0.03 in female controls (p < 0. 001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cord blood stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into insulin-expressing cells in non-diabetic humans. It remains to be established whether these cells have the properties of beta cells.
authors.affiliation: Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 900A Weyburn Place, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Blazar
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rizza
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Manivel
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Butler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D055815:Young Adult