In some embodiments, methods for improving the survival of pancreatic β-cell progenitors in culture are provided. Such methods may include contacting a population of pancreatic progenitor cells with an amino acid (aa) sequence comprising IKVAV (SEQ ID NO:1). In other embodiments, methods for (i) verifying the establishment of a population of pancreatic progenitor or stem cells and (ii) methods for generating or establishing a population of pancreatic endocrine progenitor cells in vitro are provided.
