Transcriptome profiling of human pancreatic cell lineage specification reveals functional signaling pathways and lncRNAs for cell fate determination

To guide the beta cell differentiation process in vitro, a complete understanding of the transcriptome and their regulatory network during the differentiation process is essential. Using RNA-seq, we have performed the transcriptome profiling of human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), purified ESC-derivate definitive endoderm (DE), pancreatic progenitors (PP), as well as sorted human primary pancreatic alpha cells, beta cells and exocrine cells.