Research Officer

Daniel Lie

Research

Directed Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells into Insulin Producing Cells
We aimed to efficiently direct hESC cells differentiation into functional pancreatic β-cells that could regulate insulin and be used as a prospective cell transplantation therapy for Type-1 Diabetes. Strategy examined included manipulating the cells to down-regulate the expression of Nanog gene and examining the maturity status of genes expressed.

Nanog transcription factor has a central role in regulating hESC pluripotent state and previous studies have reported that Nanog expression suppresses endoderm lineages specification. We have shown a significant reduction of Nanog transcript and protein expression and these knockdown cells were used as a model to mimic in vivo pancreas development, starting with endoderm cells specification, embryonic foregut and endocrine precursor formation and finally pancreatic β-cells maturation.

Altogether, we have demonstrated an effective method for generating endoderm progenitor cells and PDX-1 positive cells. Attempts are now being made to further differentiate these cells into endocrine progenitors and specifically mature pancreatic β-cells.