Generation of Insulin-Producing Cells from Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Comparison of Three Differentiation Protocols

Figure 4

Relative gene expression at the end of in vitro differentiation comparing the three differentiation protocols (donor # 1). In the undifferentiated MSCs, insulin gene was not expressed, while gene expression for PDX-1, glucagon, and somatostatin was minimal. At the end of in vitro differentiation by all of the three protocols, the relevant endocrine genes, insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin, were expressed. Relative expression of insulin and glucagon was more prominent with the two-step protocol (TSA-based). Following this protocol, PDX-1 gene expression was increased by 4-fold, insulin gene expression by 2500-fold, glucagon gene expression by 14-fold, and somatostatin gene expression by 10-fold, when compared to the undifferentiated MSCs.