In vitro multilineage differentiation and self-renewal of single pancreatic colony-forming cells from adult C57BL/6 mice

Stem Cells Dev. 2014 Apr 15;23(8):899-909. doi: 10.1089/scd.2013.0466. Epub 2014 Jan 4.

Abstract

In a previous study we established colony assays suitable for studying murine adult (2-4 months) pancreatic progenitor cells plated in semisolid media containing methylcellulose and extracellular matrix proteins. Using these assays, we found robust in vitro progenitor cell activities (multilineage differentiation and self-renewal) from pancreatic cells of adult mice in the CD-1 outbred background. However, it was not clear whether progenitor cell activities can be detected from inbred mice, a preferred mouse model for various genetic studies. It was also not clear whether a single cell is sufficient to self-renew. Here, we show that fluorescent activated cell sorting pancreatic CD133(+) but not CD133(-) cells from adult C57Bl/6 inbred mice are enriched for progenitor cells that self-renew and give rise to multilineage colonies in vitro. The number of cells in a colony is in proportion to its diameter. Around 60% of single handpicked 3-week-old colonies express trilineage markers, indicating most progenitors are tripotent for ductal, acinar, and endocrine lineage differentiation. Approximately 80% of primary (freshly sorted) colony-forming progenitor cells are capable of giving rise to secondary progenitors in vitro, indicating that a majority of the primary progenitors self-renew. A single cell is sufficient for self-renewal and a Wnt agonist, R-Spondin1, enhances the number of secondary progenitors from the primary progenitors. Together, our pancreatic colony assays allow quantitative analyses of progenitors at a single-cell level from inbred mice. These assays will be useful for elucidating in vitro mechanisms of pancreatic progenitor cell biology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • AC133 Antigen
  • Acinar Cells / physiology
  • Adult Stem Cells / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / metabolism
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation*
  • Cell Lineage
  • Cell Proliferation*
  • Cell Separation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Pancreas / cytology*
  • Peptides / metabolism

Substances

  • AC133 Antigen
  • Antigens, CD
  • Biomarkers
  • Glycoproteins
  • Peptides
  • Prom1 protein, mouse