Long-term in vitro expansion of a human fetal pancreas stem cell that generates all three pancreatic cell lineages

Abstract

The mammalian pancreas consists of three epithelial compartments: the acini and ducts of the exocrine pancreas and the endocrine islets of Langerhans. Murine studies indicate that these three compartments derive from a transient, common pancreatic progenitor. Here, we report derivation of 18 human fetal pancreas organoid (hfPO) lines from gestational weeks 8-17 (8-17 GWs) fetal pancreas samples. Four of these lines, derived from 15 to 16 GWs samples, generate acinar-, ductal-, and endocrine-lineage cells while expanding exponentially for >2 years under optimized culture conditions. Single-cell RNA sequencing identifies rare LGR5⁺ cells in fetal pancreas and in hfPOs as the root of the developmental hierarchy. These LGR5⁺ cells share multiple markers with adult gastrointestinal tract stem cells. Organoids derived from single LGR5⁺ organoid-derived cells recapitulate this tripotency in vitro. We describe a human fetal tripotent stem/progenitor cell capable of long-term expansion in vitro and of generating all three pancreatic cell lineages.

Keywords: LGR5; acinar cells; development; endocrine cells; fetal pancreas; human organoids; organoids; pancreas; stem cell; tripotent stem cell.