Identification and characterization of putative pancreatic stem cells

Type 1 diabetes is the consequence of destruction of the insulin-producing beta-cells of the pancreas. One way to treat the disease is to transplant islets that contain beta-cells into patients. However, the demand for islets is much greater than the supply. Accordingly, it is necessary to find other sources of insulin-producing cells. Organs and tissues contain a mixture of different types of cells specialized for different functions. In tissues such as blood and skin, it has been shown that a single cell type, called the stem-cell, gives rise to the mixture of cells that form the tissue. Hence, if the pancreas contains stem cells, they should be a valuable source of insulin-producing beta-cells. Therefore, the identification of pancreatic stem cells is of utmost importance for the development of viable treatment modalities for type 1 diabetes.

A unique property of stem cells is that they divide much more slowly than most other cell types. I will use a genetically engineered mouse strain specifically designed for this purpose to identify and sort slow-cycling cells from the pancreas to determine whether they are stem cells. These cells will be collected and analyzed by sophisticated biological methods to understand their biological characteristics and to examine whether they can be manipulated to produce insulin-producing cells. I will also test these cells in mice that have diabetic symptoms to assess whether they have a beneficial effect.