From:  Recent advances in the development of bioartificial pancreas using 3D bioprinting for the treatment of type 1 diabetes: a review

Essential growth factors for 3D bioprinting pancreatic islets

Sl. No.Growth factorsFunctionsReferences
1.Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)

  • IGF-I plays a major role in cell replication, differentiation, and survival.

  • IGF-II helps in the proliferation and survival of β-cells.

[178–180]
2.VEGF

  • VEGF-A helps in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis in post-natal life. It helps in the formation of a dense network of blood vessels around the islets.

[181, 182]
3.FGF

  • bFGF, FGF, and FGF7 help in differentiation of hESCs or hiPSCs into definitive endodermal cells.

  • FGF7 and FGF10 help in the transformation of endodermal cells into multipotent pancreatic progenitors.

  • FGF7 further aids in transformation into endocrine progenitors.

[183]
4.EGF

  • EGF is responsible for the transformation of endodermal cells into multipotent pancreatic progenitors and further into endocrine progenitors.

[184, 185]
5.Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF)

  • KGF aids in the differentiation of hESCs or hiPSCs into endodermal cells followed by subsequent transformation into multipotent pancreatic progenitor.

[185–187]
6.Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)

  • HGF helps to stimulate hematopoiesis from progenitor cells.

  • HGF functions as an insulinotropic factor and promotes the regeneration and proliferation of β-cells.

[188, 189]
7.Transforming growth factor (TGF)

  • TGF-β helps in the differentiation of hESCs or hiPSCs into endodermal cells as well as aids in β-cell proliferation.

[185]
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Sl. No.: serial number; bFGF: basic FGF; hESC: human epithelial stem cells