biostudies-literatureLiu QEducation Department of Jiangxi Province605-614https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8102600biostudies-literatureUnknown53(4)The adult pancreatic ductal system was suggested to harbor facultative beta-cell progenitors similar to the embryonic pancreas, and the appearance of insulin-positive duct cells has been used as evidence for natural duct-to-beta-cell reprogramming. Nevertheless, the phenotype and fate of these insulin-positive cells in ducts have not been determined. Here, we used a cell-tagging dye, CFDA-SE, to permanently label pancreatic duct cells through an intraductal infusion technique. Representing a time when significant increases in beta-cell mass occur, pregnancy was later induced in these CFDA-SE-treated mice to assess the phenotype and fate of the insulin-positive cells in ducts. We found that a small portion of CFDA-SE-labeled duct cells became insulin-positive, but they were not fully functiExperimental & molecular medicineInsulin-positive ductal cells do not migrate into preexisting islets during pregnancy.PMC8102600GJJ180021Jiang YQian JZhu LWang CXiao XLiu QGittes GKYang TPrasadan KfalseInsulin-positive ductal cells do not migrate into preexisting islets during pregnancy.The adult pancreatic ductal system was suggested to harbor facultative beta-cell progenitors similar to the embryonic pancreas, and the appearance of insulin-positive duct cells has been used as evidence for natural duct-to-beta-cell reprogramming. Nevertheless, the phenotype and fate of these insulin-positive cells in ducts have not been determined. Here, we used a cell-tagging dye, CFDA-SE, to permanently label pancreatic duct cells through an intraductal infusion technique. Representing a time when significant increases in beta-cell mass occur, pregnancy was later induced in these CFDA-SE-treated mice to assess the phenotype and fate of the insulin-positive cells in ducts. We found that a small portion of CFDA-SE-labeled duct cells became insulin-positive, but they were not fully functi2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Apr2026-04-16T13:43:19.959Z2022-02-10T11:43:28.823ZS-EPMC81026003382095910.1038/s12276-021-00593-z