Researchers have generated a new type of human stem cell that
can develop into numerous types of specialized cells, including
functioning pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin. Called
endodermal progenitor (EP) cells, the new cells show two
important advantages over embryonic stem cells and induced
pluripotent stem cells: they do not form tumors when
transplanted into animals, and they can form functional
pancreatic beta cells in the laboratory. "Our cell line offers a
powerful new tool for modeling how many human diseases develop,"
said study leader Paul J. Gadue, Ph.D., a stem cell biologist in
the Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics at The
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "Additionally, pancreatic
beta cells generated from EP cells display better functional
ability in the laboratory than beta cells derived from other
stem cell populations." In addition to producing beta cells, the
researchers also directed EP cells to develop into liver cells
and intestinal cellsboth of which normally d