Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for producing PDX1+/NKX6-1+ pancreatic progenitor cells from a PDX1+ endodermal cell population. The method comprises contacting the endodermal cell population with an EGF component and tankyrase inhibitor that binds to an adenosine subsite of a tankyrase enzyme, to induce the differentiation of at least a portion of the PDX1+ endodermal cell population into PDX1+NKX6-1+ pancreatic progenitor cells.

Abstract: There is described herein a method for enriching/purifying a population of cells for pancreatic progenitor cells, the method comprising: a) providing the population cells, the population comprising pancreatic progenitor cells; and b) performing at least one of steps (i)-(v): (i) selecting for cells from the population that express at least one protein listed in cluster 2; (ii) selecting for cells from the population that express at least one protein listed in cluster 5; (iii) deselecting for cells from the population that express at least one protein listed in cluster 1; (iv) deselecting for cells from the population that express at least one protein listed in cluster 3; and (v) deselecting for cells from the population that express at least one protein listed in cluster 6.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for producing NKX6-1+ pancreatic progenitor cells and/or insulin producing cells from an endodermal cell population, the method comprising contacting the endodermal cell population with an EGF component, a Nicotinamide component and/or a Noggin component, optionally a combination of at least one EGF component and at least one nicotinamide component to induce the differentiation of at least one endodermal cell into a NKX6-1+ pancreatic progenitor cell, the combination optionally further comprising at least one Noggin component.