In vitro platform for screening agents inducing islet cell neogenesis
AssigneeMcGill University
InventorLawrence Rosenberg
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an in vitro method for screening agents inducing islet cell neogenesis or duct-to-islet cell transdifferentiation, which comprises the steps of: a) expanding in vitro cells of a duct-like structure obtained by inducing cystic formation in cells in or associated with post-natal islets of Langerhans; b) treating said expanded cells of said duct-like structure with an agent screened; and c) determining potency of said agent of inducing islet cell differentiation of said duct-like structure in becoming insulin-producing cells.
Claims12
An in vitro method for screening agents inducing islet cell neogenesis or duct-to-islet cell transdifferentiation, which comprises the steps of:
- a) expanding in vitro cells of a duct-like structure obtained by inducing cystic formation in cells in or associated with post-natal islets of Langerhans;
- b) treating said expanded cells of said duct-like structure with an agent being screened;
- and
- c) determining potency of said agent of inducing islet cell differentiation of said duct-like structure in becoming insulin-producing cells.
The kit of claim 8, wherein sais solid matrix is 3-D collagen type-1 gel matrix and said medium is DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with EGF and cholera toxin.
The kit of claim 8, which further comprises duct-like structure cells or islet cells to be transformed into duct-like structure cells.
An islet cell culture, which comprises insulin-producing islet cells in a suitable culture medium, wherein said islet cells are characterized.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.