Three-Dimensional Culture Promotes Differentiation of Stem Cells into Functional Insulin Producing Cells

A team of European cell biologists has developed a three-dimensional culture method for embryonic stem cells (ESCs) that encourages their maturation into fully functional, insulin producing pancreatic beta cells.

In vitro differentiation of beta cells from ESCs, for the purpose of cell therapy of diabetes, has greatly progressed in the past years but the final step of production of endocrine cells from pancreas progenitors has been ineffective in two-dimensional cultures, although transplantation of the progenitors into animals has revealed their potential to differentiate into functional beta cells.

In the current study, which was published in the November 21, 2012, online edition of the journal Cell Reports, investigators at the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) described a three-dimensional culture system that enabled ESCs to complete the maturation process and become functioning beta cells.

In addition to highlighting the benefits of three-dimensional culture, the study revealed the importance of planar cell polarity (PCP) proteins in the maturation process.

"We can see that the quality of the cells produced two-dimensionally is not good enough. By putting the cells in a three-dimensional environment and giving them the proper growth conditions, we get much better results. Therefore we are developing a three-dimensional culture medium in gelatin in the laboratory to mimic the one inside an embryo," said senior author Dr. Anne Grapin-Botton, assistant professor of life sciences at the University of Copenhagen. "Attempts to develop functional beta cells in 2D have unfortunately most often resulted in poorly functioning cells. Our results from developing cells in 3D have yielded promising results and are therefore an important step on the way to developing cell therapies for treating diabetes."

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