It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for efficiently directing differentiation into insulin-producing cells in a xeno-free culture system. According to the present invention, there is provided a method for directed differentiation into insulin-producing cells, comprising culturing stem cells in the following steps (1) to (5): (1) a step of culturing stem cells in a medium comprising an activator of activin receptor-like kinase-4/-7 and a GSK3 inhibitor and then culturing in a medium comprising an activator of activin receptor-like kinase-4/-7; (2) a step of culturing the cells obtained in step (1) in a medium comprising a hedgehog signaling inhibitor and an FGF; (3) a step of culturing the cells obtained in step (2) in a medium comprising a retinoic acid receptor agonist, a hedgehog signaling inhibitor and a BMP signaling inhibitor; (4) a step of culturing the cells obtained in step (3) in a medium comprising a TGF-β type I activin receptor-like kinase-4/-5/-7 inhibitor and a BMP signaling inhibitor; and (5) a step of culturing the cells obtained in step (4) in a medium comprising a phosphodiesterase inhibitor.
本发明的目的是提供一种在无异种培养体系中有效引导分化成
胰岛素分泌细胞的方法。根据本发明,提供了一种定向分化为
胰岛素分泌细胞的方法,包括按以下步骤(1)至(5)培养干细胞:(1)在含有活化素受体样激酶-4/-7激活剂和GSK3
抑制剂的
培养基中培养干细胞,然后在含有活化素受体样激酶-4/-7激活剂的
培养基中培养;(2)在含有刺猬
信号转导抑制剂和FGF的
培养基中培养步骤(1)中获得的细胞;(3) 在含有
维甲酸受体激动剂、刺猬信号
抑制剂和
BMP 信号
抑制剂的
培养基中培养步骤(2)中获得的细胞; (4) 在含有 TGF-β I 型激活素受体样激酶-4/-5/-7
抑制剂和
BMP 信号
抑制剂的
培养基中培养步骤(3)中获得的细胞;以及 (5) 在含有
磷酸二酯酶抑制剂的
培养基中培养步骤(4)中获得的细胞。