Continuous Inhibition of Sonic Hedgehog Signaling Leads to Differentiation of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Functional Insulin-Producing β Cells

Table 1

Function and application of small molecules in the differentiation of cells into insulin-producing cells.

Step	Name	Function	Application
1	CHIR99021	Inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3)	Induces definitive endoderm formation
	LY294002	Inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)	Induces definitive endoderm formation
	Activin A	A member of the TGF-β superfamily	Induces definitive endoderm formation
2	FGF2	Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family	Promotes pancreatic endoderm
	Dorsomorphin	Inhibitor of the BMP pathway	Promotes pancreatic endoderm
	Retinoic acid	Major derivatives of the vitamin A group	Promotes pancreatic endoderm
	SB431542	Inhibitor of ALK5/TGF-β type I receptor	Promotes pancreatic endoderm
	FR180204	To block extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK)	Promotes pancreatic progenitor
	SANT-1	Smo antagonist inhibits hedgehog signaling	Promotes pancreatic progenitor
3	Forskolin	An adenylate cyclase activator and MAP kinase inhibitor	Promotes pancreatic β cell differentiation
	Dexamethasone	Glucocorticoid pathway activator	Promotes pancreatic β cell differentiation
	Nicotinamide	Active form of vitamin B3	Promotes the generation of NKX6.1+progenitors