Conclusions
Results provide direct evidence supporting the presence of VSELs in adult mouse pancreas and their role during regeneration. VSELs are an interesting alternative to ES/iPS cells to regenerate a diabetic pancreas in future.
Methods
Mice were subjected to partial pancreatectomy wherein almost 70% of pancreas was surgically removed and residual pancreas was studied on Days 1, 3 and 5 post-surgery.
Results
VSELs were detected in Hematoxylin and Eosin stained smears of pancreatic tissue as spherical, small sized cells with a large nucleus surrounded by a thin rim of cytoplasm and could be sorted as LIN-/CD45-/SCA-1+ cells by flow cytometry. Results reveal that although neutrophils with multi-lobed nuclei are mobilized into the pancreas on day 1 after pancreatectomy, by day 5 VSELs with spherical nuclei, high nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio and nuclear OCT-4 are mobilized into the residual pancreas. VSELs undergo differentiation and give rise to PDX-1 and OCT-4 positive progenitors which possibly regenerate both acinar cells and islets. Conclusions: Results provide direct evidence supporting the presence of VSELs in adult mouse pancreas and their role during regeneration. VSELs are an interesting alternative to ES/iPS cells to regenerate a diabetic pancreas in future.