Method of stimulating proliferation and differentiation of human fetal pancreatic cells ex vivo

US5587309A · kind A · utility

Assignees

• The United States of America, as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services · US
• Whittier Institute for Diabetes and Endocrinology · US

Inventors

• Jeffrey S. Rubin · Rockville, US
• Alberto Hayek · Village of La Jolla, US
• Gillian M. Beattie · Poway, US
• Timo OTONKOSKI · Helsinki, FI

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 29, 1994
• Grant date: Dec 24, 1996
• Expiry date: Apr 29, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12N2501/12
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method of inducing the proliferation and/or differentiation of human fetal pancreatic cells entails contacting such cells in primary culture with Hepatocyte Growth Factor/Scatter Factor, thereby inducing a proliferation of .beta.-epithelial cells, an increase in the number of .beta.-epithelial cells which form islet-like cell clusters, and an increase in insulin production per cell. The method provides increased numbers of functional islet-like cell clusters for transplantation, for example, into Type 1 diabetic patients. The method can be scaled up so as to provide clinically useful numbers of cells for transplantation.