Singapore, Mar 04, 2010: A group of scientists at the University of Edinburgh have overcome a key hurdle in developing a source of liver and pancreatic cells in the laboratory. The latest development paves the way towards cells being grown in the lab for use in treating patients with conditions such as diabetes.

Experts at the University of Edinburgh have been studying embryonic stem cells, which are able to divide to produce copies of themselves and develop into other more specialised cell types. They have developed embryonic stem cells to the stage at which they can both replicate themselves and become only cells associated with the gut, such as liver and pancreas - known as endodermal cells.

Previously, scientists working to produce liver and pancreatic cells developed embryonic stem cells into complex mixtures of specialised cell types. These mixtures do not form functional specialised cell types efficiently and may still contain stem cells. These stem cells can continue to produce other cell types, with a risk of forming tumours on transplantation.

As the liver and pancreatic precursor cells are able to replicate themselves in the laboratory, they potentially provide a ready source of liver and pancreatic cells without the need for further use of embryonic stem cells.

The findings of the study, funded by the BBSRC, Scottish Funding Council and JDRF, carried out in collaboration with the MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Oxford, were published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

Dr Josh Brickman, Group Leader at University of Edinburgh's Institute for Stem Cell Research and MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine said, “For the first time, we have found a way to generate and purify precursors of liver and pancreatic cells. We did this by recreating the path of cell development in embryos to a point where we could identify and purify these cells. Remarkably they can grow in a dish, providing a renewable source for future applications in medicine.”

“The study has been a success – its aim was to understand the molecular basis for endoderm formation, both specification and commitment.  We discovered a novel for the FGF pathway in this process and we are now investigating the molecular mechanism by which it acts. We are also interested in the transcriptional basis for lineage specification in the endoderm”, he added.

However he failed to give us a clear time line about this research reaching an application stage. He commented, “We are working towards application by repeating the experiments with human cell lines.  Initial experiments are promising, but it’s too soon to say anything about an actual time frame.”