The Editors of BMC Cell Biology have retracted a 2009 paper that described the generation and characterization of human insulin-releasing cell lines, according to a retraction note published in BMC Molecular and Cell Biology on 30 October 2026. The original study, which appeared on 19 June 2009 under the title “Generation and characterization of human insulin-releasing cell lines,” was retracted after concerns were raised about image similarities within the article and with two other publications from related authors.
The retraction note details a series of specific image concerns. Figure 1C, CPR (chromogranin) appears to be highly similar to Figure 1C, APM (PDX1) and to Figure 6, hPRL (300 mg/mL), plastic (DAPI/Insulin) in a related publication. Figure 1C, APM (insulin) and Figure 1C, CPR (PDX1) appear to be highly similar to each other. Figure 1C, VGA (chromogranin) and Figure 6, hPRL (300ng/mL) plastic (DAPI/Pdx1) in the related publication appear to be highly similar. Figure 1C, APM (chromogranin) and Figure 1, culture of human islets (DAPI/Insulin/CK19) in the related publication appear to be highly similar. Figure 1C, VGA (Glut2/vimentin/nuclei) and Figure 1, cultures of human islets (DAPI/Pdx1) in the related publication appear to be highly similar. Figure 1C, CPR (PDX1) and Figure 1, cultures of human islets (DAPI/Insulin/Vimentin) in the related publication appear to be highly similar.
Additional concerns involve western blot images. Figure 6B, β1-integrin appears to partially overlap with Figure 8A, β1-integrin blot in a second related publication. Figure 6B, β-catenin, APM and Figure 8C, β-catenin, lane b in that publication appear to be highly similar. Figure 6B, E-cadherin and Figure 8B, E-cadherin in that publication appear to partially overlap.
The authors had been given the opportunity to address the concerns raised; however, they did not respond to the Editors’ correspondence about this retraction. Due to this and to the number of concerns, the Editors no longer have confidence in the results and conclusions of the article.
The retraction note also records the authors’ engagement with the publisher. Authors Leticia Labriola, Maria G Peters, Iván Stigliano, LetÃcia F Terra, Cecilia Buchanan, Elisa Bal de Kier Joffé, Lydia Puricelli and Mari C Sogayar did not respond to correspondence from the Publisher about this retraction. Marcel CC Machado and Karin Krogh could not be contacted by the publisher.
The original article was published in BMC Cell Biology, volume 10, article number 49, in 2009, under DOI 10.1186/1471-2121-10-49. The retraction note appears in BMC Molecular and Cell Biology, volume 27, article number 40, published 30 October 2026, under DOI 10.1186/s12860-026-00609-4. The article is open access, and the retraction note is likewise published open access.
The retraction note lists the author group as Leticia Labriola, Maria G Peters, Karin Krogh, Iván Stigliano, LetÃcia F Terra, Cecilia Buchanan, Marcel CC Machado, Elisa Bal de Kier Joffé, Lydia Puricelli and Mari C Sogayar. The journal BMC Molecular and Cell Biology publishes the retraction note, and the publisher’s page provides access to the full open access text and a downloadable PDF.
Subject of Research: Retraction of a 2009 study on human insulin-releasing cell lines due to image similarity concerns
Article Title: Retraction Note: Generation and characterization of human insulin-releasing cell lines
Article References: Labriola, L., Peters, M. G., Krogh, K., Stigliano, I., Terra, L. F., Buchanan, C., Machado, M. C., Joffé, E. B. D. K., Puricelli, L., & Sogayar, M. C. (2026). Retraction Note: Generation and characterization of human insulin-releasing cell lines. BMC Molecular and Cell Biology, 27(1), Article 40. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12860-026-00609-4
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s12860-026-00609-4
Keywords: retraction, BMC Cell Biology, BMC Molecular and Cell Biology, human insulin-releasing cell lines, image similarities, chromogranin, PDX1, insulin, β1-integrin, β-catenin, E-cadherin, open access
News Source: Drew Townsend. (November 3, 2026). Editors Retract 2009 Human Insulin-Releasing Cell Line Paper Over Image Similarities. Scienmag.
