Brain stem cells could be used to cure diabetes

Stanford University researchers told the journal PLoS Medicine that brain stem cells could be used to cure diabetes. They succeed to coax the immature brain neurons to develop into the insulin-producing islet cells that are lacking in diabetes.

Previuous studies suddested that is difficult to work with in the laboratory because these cells can turn cancerous. Dr Seung Kim, the team leader, said: "When you look at islet cells you realise that they resemble neurons. The cells that produce insulin and regulate blood sugar in some insects, such as fruit flies, are also neurons.

Stanford University team discovered that when they added a cocktail of chemicals to brain stem cells, taken from aborted fetuses, they changed and they started to produce insulin in response to blood sugar levels.

To have a conclusion whether these cells would work, they transplanted thecells into a kidney in mice where other types of insulin-producing cells have been found to survive before. Then scientists observed that when the blood sugar went up the transplanted brain stem cells again released insulin. What is the best is that within four weeks none of thecells had turned cancerous.






NOTE: The Information on this site is provided for information only, and is not meant to substitute for the advice of your own physician or other medical professional.



<< back to diabetes