Stem Cells and Diabetes
- Diabetes
is caused by the destruction of insulin producing islet cells of the pancreas.
Despite the significant progresses in understanding the mechanism of diabetes,
there is still a lack of effective therapies. There is currently no cure for
diabetes.
- For
many years, researchers have been making progress on experimental strategies
for pancreatic transplantation and islet cell replacement.
- Now,
researchers have turned their attention to adult stem cells that appear to
be precursors to islet cells and embryonic stem cells that produce insulin.
- Recent
studies in mice show that embryonic stem cells can be induced to differentiate
into insulin-producing beta-cells. The strategy may be also possible using
human embryonic stem cells.
Mugur Roz