(JP)Transforming liver stem cells linked to possible diabetes cure

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Transforming liver stem cells linked to possible

diabetes cure

 

Dec 17, 2001

Yomiuri Shimbun

 

Hepatocyte stem cells, which turn into hepatocyte

cells found in the liver, can develop into cells that

form the pancreas and small intestine and could help

in the search for a cure for diabetes, according to a

Tsukuba University research team.

 

The group, led by lecturer Hideki Taniguchi and

graduate student Atsushi Suzuki, reported their

findings at an academic conference organized in

Yokohama on Tuesday by the Molecular Biology Society

of Japan.

 

The study's findings have shed light on the

possibility of making the stem cells, which previously

had been thought capable only of developing into

hepatocytes, develop into cells that secrete insulin,

a hormone needed to treat diabetes.

 

Members of the group removed hepatocyte stem cells

from the livers of mice, into which they had imported

genes producing a material that emits light. They then

transplanted a large amount of these stem cells to the

pancreases of the mice.

 

Three months later, the group discovered light was

being emitted from some parts of the pancreases, and

deduced that the hepatocyte stem cells developed into

pancreas cells. They also found that these cells

secreted amylase, an enzyme produced by the pancreas.

 

In another experiment, they transplanted hepatocyte

stem cells into the small intestines of mice and found

that most of them developed into small intestine

cells.

 

According to Taniguchi, what have long been considered

hepatocyte stem cells may actually be cells in their

earlier stages of development that have yet to perform

a particular function.

 

Although the group could not discover insulin produced

by the transplanted cells, the members believe it is

likely the stem cells can develop into cells that

secrete this hormone.

 

They also said they were doing an experiment in which

they are incubating hepatocyte stem cells outside of

human bodies to use them to help cure diabetics.

 

It was previously believed that stem cells from

individual organs turn into particular types of mature

cells. Recently, however, many cases have been

reported in which nerves have been produced from skin

and medulla stem cells, and hepatocyte stem cells may

be able to develop into many other kinds of cells,

according to the society.

 

Copyright 2001 The Yomiuri Shimbun

 

 

 

 

 

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