Purification of replicating pancreatic β-cells for gene expression studies

β-cell proliferation is a rare event in adult pancreatic islets. To study the replication-related β-cell biology we designed a replicating β-cells sorting system based on EdU incorporation for gene expression experiments. The global transcriptome of replicating and quiescent pancreatic β-cells was analysed using gene expression arrays. 6 samples were included in the experimental design, from 3 different batches of islets. Each batch of islets was obtained from 4 rats and contained a biological replicate of replicating beta cells, and a biological replicate of quiescent beta cells.