Type 1 diabetes reversed by new cell transplantation technique

Transplanting insulin-producing cells along with engineered blood-vessel-forming cells has successfully reversed type 1 diabetes, according to a new preclinical study. With further testing, the novel approach could one day cure the as-yet incurable condition. The pancreatic islet is the only human tissue that produces insulin in response to rising blood glucose levels. In type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks and slowly destroys these islets, leading to insulin deficiency. Remarkable progress has been made regarding the transplantation of islets, which remains a promising means of restoring insulin production. However, a major challenge has been replicating the blood-vessel-rich environment that native islets rely on for survival. Now, researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM) have led a study where they transplanted islets along with engineered blood-vessel-forming cells – successfully reversing diabetes in mice. “This work lays the foundation for subcutaneous [under the s ... Read full article.