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J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 283, Issue 20, 99916, May 16, 2008

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Pancreatic Cells Can Change Their Spots

Increasing evidence is revealing that terminally differentiated cells retain the ability to convert to other types of differentiated cells. The pancreas is a prime example of such transdifferentiation, as pancreatic exocrine cells that aid intestinal digestion have been shown to convert to hormone-secreting endocrine cells. The mechanism responsible for this conversion, however, is largely unknown, as is why this plasticity seems largely confined to in vitro conditions. In this Paper of the Week, Kohtaro Minami and colleagues help answer both mysteries, demonstrating that cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion is critical for inducing transdifferentiation of mouse pancreas cells. After enzymatic disruption of intercellular contacts, exocrine cells dedifferentiate, form tiny spherical structures held together by cadherin, and then transform into endocrine cells; neutralizing cadherin-mediated adhesion froze the cells in a dedifferentiated state. Minami and colleagues also found that this process activated PI3 kinase and that PI3 kinase signaling was critical for completing the transformation. This study could aid in developing new cell-based therapies for diabetes and also explains the rarity of in vivo exocrine-to-endocrine conversions, as even in severe cases of pancreatitis or cancer, cell-cell contacts are not completely destroyed.

The mechanism of pancreatic cell transdifferentiation from digestive acinar cells to insulin-secreting endocrine cells.

FOOTNOTES

See referenced article, J. Biol. Chem. 2008, 283, 13753-13761

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This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Related Collections Papers Of The Week Social Bookmarking                      What's this?