Stomach stem cells hold promise as a cure for diabetes
Researchers have taken stem cells from the human stomach and converted them into insulin-producing cells that respond to changes in blood glucose levels like healthy pancreatic cells would. The discovery could mean that one day, diabetics can produce their own insulin instead of relying on injections.
although the exact cause of type 1 diabetes isn’t known, it’s thought to be caused by an autoimmune response where the body attacks and destroys the pancreas’ beta cells, the cells that produce insulin. For years, researchers have looked at ‘curing’ diabetes by using stem cells to create insulin-producing cells to replace the ones destroyed by the immune system.
In the current study, the researchers removed the gastric stem cells through a simple non-surgical procedure called endoscopy, where a thin, flexible tube with a camera on it (an endoscope) is inserted through the mouth into the stomach. The endoscope is fitted with a tool that allows the operator to take tissue samples.
The researchers say that transplanting insulin-secreting cells created from a patient's stem cells is a more natural way of improving beta cell function and would reduce the problem of transplant rejection.
https://newatlas.com/medical/stomach-stem-cells-type-1-diabetes-cure/
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