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| Expression of stem cell markers CK-19 and PDX-1 mRNA in pancreatic islet samples of different purity from rats |
| Chuang Yang, Ji-Ming Wang, Cheng-You Du and Dong Xue |
Mianyang, China
Author Affiliations: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Mianyang Third People’s Hospital, Mianyang 621000, China (Yang C); Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing University of Medical Science, Chongqing 400042, China (Wang JM, Du CY and Xue D)
Corresponding Author: Cheng-You Du, MD, Department of Hepato-biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing University of Medical Science, Chongqing 400042, China (Tel: 86-23-89011182; Fax: 86-23-89011182; Email: duchengyou@126.com) |
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Abstract BACKGROUND: Islet stem cells are more or less retained in the procedure of islet isolation and purification, and are transplanted together with islet grafts. Keratoprotein (CK-19) and pancreatic duodenal hox gene 1 (PDX-1) are markers of stem cells. This study was undertaken to examine the expression of these markers in pancreatic islet samples of different purity from rats.
METHODS: A total of 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups to undergo perfusion with V-type collagenase via the pancreatic duct, then the pancreas was excised, diced, shaken, digested and centrifuged to obtain islet sediments. The sediment from group A was not purified, while that from group B was purified with 25% Ficoll-400 and that from group C with 25% and 11% Ficoll-400. RNA was extracted from the different islet samples for reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression of the pancreatic stem cell markers CK-19 and PDX-1 was assessed.
RESULTS: The purity of islets in samples was (43.6±6.29)% in group A; (65.3±4.40)% in group B; and (77.6±6.36)% in group C (P<0.05). The expression of CK-19 and PDX-1 mRNA was significantly higher in group A than in groups B and C, but group C showed the lowest level of expression.
CONCLUSION: The expression of CK-19 and PDX-1 mRNA in islet samples of different purity suggests the presence of stem cells in all islet samples.
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2007, Vol. 6 
