Research Paper Volume 2, Issue 11 pp 785—790

Figure 1. CENP-A protein expression declines with age in human islet cells, but not in exocrine cells. Representative low power (a-c) and corresponding high power (d-f) images from human pancreases and islet preparations immunostained for CENP-A (green) and insulin (red) in fetal pancreas (a, d, N=7), cultured islets from donors of 15-20 years of age (b, e, N=4) and cultured islets from donors of 29-62 years of age (c, f, N=8). Quantitative analysis of CENP-A and insulin double positive cells as a function of donor age (fetal pancreas were of 18-21 week gestation, N=7)(Linear Regression, R²=0.77) (g). More than 100 insulin positive cells were scored from each donor. Cells were scored as positive for CENP-A if any immunofluorescence signal was detected. CENP-A expression in alpha-cells (CENP-A-green, glucagon-red) (h, i). Human fetal pancreas immunostained for Ki67 (green) and insulin (red)(j). CENP-A expression in exocrine cells (CENP-A-green, PanCK-red, N=8)(k-n). Quantitative analysis of CENP-A and PanCK double positive cells as a function of donor age (Linear Regression, R²=0.0021)(o). More than 1000 PanCK-positive cells were scored from each donor. Blue nuclear counterstain was DAPI. Scale bars=50uM.