I. Progress Towards a Stem Cell Based Therapy for Diabetes.

ABSTRACT: Diabetes results from insufficient production of the hormone insulin from beta cells in pancreatic islets. Islet transplantation can replace the lost beta cells in patients but is limited by the scarcity of available donor organs. Our aim is to differentiate pluripotent stem cells into functional islets that can serve as an unlimited source for transplantation to treat diabetes. We have investigated the therapeutic potential of pancreatic endoderm cells derived from human embryonic stem cells. Several weeks following transplant into diabetic rodents, these cells mature and secrete sufficient human insulin, in a regulated manner, to reverse diabetes. In rats, we observed inconsistent survival of pancreatic endoderm cells implanted subcutaneously in macroencapsulation devices designed to be

SUBMITTER: Kieffer TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8866802 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature