Ongoing stem cell research and diabetes

Stem cell research and diabetes cure is definitely an ongoing project and it is showing great promise.Stem cell research and diabetes cure is an on-going project and is exhibiting mediabeteshelp great promise. The University of Pennsylvania is now doing clinical trials for a new surgery known as Islet Cell Transplantation.

The new procedure consists of transplanting islet cells coming from a matching donor. Beta islet cells are definitely the cells from the pancreas that produce insulin. The process is for Type 1 diabetics whose Beta islet cells have been destroyed and thus no insulin is manufactured. These patients must be on insulin therapy throughout their lives. Considering that the cells are transplanted into the liver, the body right after the first transplant can provide warning signs if the blood glucose is too low. Many Type 1 diabetics haven’t any warning and often just black out which can be hazardous when driving or performing other crucial tasks.

Islet cell transplantation can’t treat many cases of Type 2 diabetes but is a probable cure for the over 700,000 people in the United States who have Type 1 diabetes. But, presently there are not enough donors to go around with only approximately 3,500 donor organs available a year ago. Most patients currently need 2 transplantations to get entirely off insulin therapy.

The answer to this problem would be to make islets inside the lab utilizing stems cells. There is currently research going on using questionable embryonic stem cells as well as stem cells obtained from adults. But as a result of ethical and political debate concerning stem cells this pathway towards a cure is moving gradually. People who feel that life starts at conception strongly fight embryonic stem cell research since the cells come from human embryos which are destroyed along the way. Embryonic stem cells have not matured into human cells and have the greatest potential to grow to be any type of cells inside the human body, such as hair, skin, blood, toenail and so forth.

Opponents to this research believe that adult stem cells extracted from adult bone marrow is the answer to this challenge. But there are studies which raise questions regarding the capability of these cells as therapies.A current published study noted that an intestinal hormone caused stem cells taken from a pancreas to become islet cells that secrete insulin – these are typically called beta cells, there is however debate over this research and it has not had the opportunity to become reproduced.

Although the research using stem cells is in its infant stages many scientists believe that this research supports the most promise for fulfillment for diabetics as a way to quit taking insulin injection after their bodies start producing the hormone naturally.Stem cell research and diabetes cure is an ongoing project and is showing great promise in the battle to find a remedy for this chronic disease.