Overlapping phenotypes of human adult mesenchymal stem cells isolated from bone marrow, endocrine pancreas and umbilical cord blood

Objective: Transplantation of isolated pancreatic islets in type 1 diabetics is limited by lack of donor organs. Hence researchers are intensively searching for alternative sources of beta-cells. Several cell types of pancreatic (endodermal) and extra-pancreatic (mesodermal) origin have been demonstrated to differentiate into insulin producing phenotypes. These cells include pancreatic precursors defined by the expression of nestin and c-Met present in ducts, acini and islets as well as human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) from bone marrow and umbilical cord blood (hMSC-UCB). Here we investigate to what extend nestin+ and c-Met+ human pancreatic islet derived precursor cells (hIPC) share a immunophenotype typical for mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow and UCB.