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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
Surgical Injury to the Mouse Pancreas through Ligation of the Pancreatic Duct as a Model for Endocrine and Exocrine Reprogramming and Proliferation
Published on: August 7, 2015
Beta cells can be generated from endogenous progenitors in injured adult mouse pancreas
Xiaobo Xu1, Joke D'Hoker, Geert Stangé
1Diabetes Research Center, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, B1090 Brussels, Belgium.
Abstract:
Novel strategies in diabetes therapy would obviously benefit from the use of beta (beta) cell stem/progenitor cells. However, whether or not adult beta cell progenitors exist is one of the most controversial issues in today's diabetes research. Guided by the expression of Neurogenin 3 (Ngn3), the earliest islet cell-specific transcription factor in embryonic development, we show that beta cell progenitors can be activated in injured adult mouse pancreas and are located in the ductal lining. Differentiation of the adult progenitors is Ngn3 dependent and gives rise to all islet cell types, including glucose responsive beta cells that subsequently proliferate, both in situ and when cultured in embryonic pancreas explants. Multipotent progenitor cells thus exist in the pancreas of adult mice and can be activated cell autonomously to increase the functional beta cell mass by differentiation and proliferation rather than by self-duplication of pre-existing beta cells only.
Insights
Adult mouse pancreas contains multipotent progenitor cells that can generate new beta cells. These stem cells are located in ducts and are activated by injury, offering new diabetes therapy strategies.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Developmental Biology
- Diabetes Research
Background:
- The existence of adult beta cell progenitors is a key debate in diabetes research.
- Novel diabetes therapies could leverage beta cell stem/progenitor cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and activation of beta cell progenitors in adult mouse pancreas.
- To determine if these progenitors can differentiate into functional beta cells.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Neurogenin 3 (Ngn3) expression as a marker for islet cell progenitors.
- Activated and cultured progenitor cells from injured adult mouse pancreas.
- Analyzed differentiation and proliferation of progenitor-derived cells in vitro and in vivo.
Main Results:
- Identified Ngn3-dependent beta cell progenitors in the ductal lining of adult mouse pancreas.
- Demonstrated differentiation of these progenitors into all islet cell types, including glucose-responsive beta cells.
- Showed that progenitor cells increase functional beta cell mass through differentiation and proliferation.
Conclusions:
- Multipotent progenitor cells exist in the adult mouse pancreas and can be activated by injury.
- These progenitors can be harnessed to increase functional beta cell mass, offering potential for diabetes treatment.
