Fig. 1.

Characteristics of human fetal pancreatic progenitor cells. Human fetal pancreatic progenitor cells were isolated from fetal pancreas at gestational week 8 and maintained in medium containing basic fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor and leukemia inhibitor factor. The expressions of pancreatic endocrine progenitor cell marker Pdx-1 (a) and endocrine progenitor markers Ngn 3 (b) were monitored by immunofluorescent staining. After induction toward insulin-producing cells, the cells were re-suspended and cultured overnight for forming islet-like cluster. Then immunofluorescent staining was employed for detecting human insulin and glucagon (c). Progenitor cell-derived islets were incubated in Krebs–Ringer bicarbonate buffer with 2.5 or 25 mM glucose respectively. And glucose stimulated insulin secretion was measured by ELISA and stimulation index calculated as a ratio of 25 mM group to 2.5 mM group. The experiment was performed thrice with different progenitor cells. Data were represented as mean ± SE, *P < 0.01 versus progenitors at 25 mM (d)