| 20100330049 | METHOD FOR GENERATING ISLET BETA CELLS FROM DEDIFFERENTIATED EXOCRINE PANCREATIC CELLS - The present invention relates to an in vitro method for generating insulin-producing beta cells from a population of mammalian cells comprising dedifferentiated exocrine pancreatic cells. The method comprises the step of culturing said dedifferentiated exocrine pancreatic cells in a culture medium in the presence of at least one agent that is able to inhibit the Notch 1 signaling pathway in said dedifferentiated exocrine pancreatic cells, and at least one ligand of the gp130 receptor and/or at least one ligand of the EGF receptor. The invention further provides a population of mammalian pancreatic cells comprising insulin-producing beta cells obtainable by the present method and uses thereof in a pharmaceutical composition for treating type 1 or type 2 diabetes. | 12-30-2010 |