insulin-producing pancreatic cells in vitro

AIM: To observe the plasticity of whether dermis-derived multipotent cells to differentiate into insulin-producing pancreatic cells in vitro. METHODS: A clonal population of dermis-derived multipotent stem cells (DMCs) from newborn rat with the capacity to produce osteocytes, chondrocytes, adipocytes and neurons was used. The gene expression of cultured DMCs was assessed by DNA microarray using rat RGU34A gene expression probe arrays. DMCs were further cultured in the presence of insulin complex components (Insulin-transferrin-selenium, ITS) to observe whether DMCs could be induced into insulin-producing pancreatic cells in vitro. RESULTS: DNA microarray analysis showed that cultured DMCs simultaneously expressed several genes associate