Pancreatic progenitor cells and methods for isolating the same

Abstract

The invention provides animal models, where the ectopic expression of KGF, EGF, or both is under the control of a pancreas-specific promoter, e.g., the insulin promoter. The expression of KGF in the ins-KGF pancreatic islets of Langerhans results in enlarged islets, with substantial proliferation of duct cells within the islet mass, and the presence of albumin and alpha-fetoprotein-producing hepatocytes in the islets of the ins-KGF pancreata. The compositions and methods disclosed are useful for identifying and isolating pancreatic stem/progenitor cells, including a common stem/progenitor to liver cells and pancreatic cells.

1 . A substantially pure population of viable pancreatic progenitor cells characterized by expression of PDX-1 and able to differentiate into glucose-responsive, insulin-secreting cells.  
     
     
         2 . The substantially pure population of  claim 1 , wherein a subset of the population of cells expresses insulin.  
     
     
         3 . A method of isolating pancreatic progenitor cells comprising: 
 a) contacting pancreatic tissue with an antibody that binds to PDX-1;    b) detecting binding of the antibody; and    c) isolating the cells that bind to the antibody,    wherein the isolated cells are pancreatic progenitor cells.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the pancreatic tissue comprises pancreatic ductal epithelial cells.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the pancreatic ductal epithelial cells are found in the perilumenal and lumenal locations.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a subset of the isolated cells also express insulin.