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Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Insulin-Producing Islet Clusters
Published on: June 23, 2023
Pancreatic human islets and insulin-producing cells derived from embryonic stem cells are rapidly identified by a
Bashar Khiatah1, Meirigeng Qi1, Youjun Wu1
1Department of Translational Research and Cellular Therapeutics, Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, USA.
Abstract:
We developed an optimized Dipheylthiocarbazone or Dithizone (DTZ) with improved physical and chemical properties to characterize human islets and insulin-producing cells differentiated from embryonic stem cells. Application of the newly formulated iDTZ (i stands for islet) over a range of temperatures, time intervals and cell and tissue types found it to be robust for identifying these cells. Through high transition zinc binding, the iDTZ compound concentrated in insulin-producing cells and proved effective at delineating zinc levels in vitro.
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