Differentiation and migration of neural crest stem cells are stimulated by pancreatic islets

• Neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) migrate during embryonic development towards the endoderm-derived pancreas and the interaction between NCSCs and beta-cellprogenitors is crucial for their mutual differentiation. In diabetes, loss ofbeta-cells or impaired beta-cell function is accompanied by nerve degeneration,which contributes to the progression of the disease. Here we show that adultpancreatic islets markedly promote differentiation of NCSCs towards neuronalphenotype in vitro and in vivo after transplantation and increase their migrationtowards islets. These findings indicate that pancreatic islets can be used topromote differentiation of NCSCs towards neuronal phenotype and that thisin-vitro system may help elucidate interactions between NCSCs and healthy ordiseased beta-cells.

Nyckelord

beta-cell

diabetes

neural stem cell

transplantation

trophic factor

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

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