hey people. im 15 and doing a school project on diabetes and how i affects people lives. also on stem cell treatment and if it helps/the effe cts/ pros and cons. if you could help me out with this, it wud be much appreciated. many thanks, becky xx
stem cell treatment for diabetes
- Thread starter bexh
- Start Date
phoenix
Expert
- Messages
- 5,671
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
Hi Bexh,
I'll deal with the second part. So far researchers are only in an experimental stage with stem cells. They can't produce and implant human islets yet but it is a really exciting field of diabetes research
What they have to be able to do is to modify pluripotent cells (that is cells that can become anything except an embryo/plancenta) to islet cells that produce insulin. ( link is to wiki but is a good intro to what stem cells are)
To do this they have to make the cells go through all the stages that it would do in a developing foetus.
They will then have to find a way of encapsulating the cells so that they still work properly but can't be attacked and killed off by the body (this is what causes T1 in the first place) They will have to try this out in large mammals like pigs. before they attempt it with humans When they can do this then they will be able to use the treatment for people who have very brittle T1 diabetes (ie those who seem to have a form of T1 that is very difficult to control)
If they get through all the stages, they will then have to build a large production laboratory that can safely make the huge numbers of cells that would be needed for all T1s
They can grow mice pancreases which will produce insulin cells;
More about stem cells here: http://danstem.ku.dk/about1/about-stem-cells/
and click on the link to the movies
3 videos
1) describes what pluripotent stem cells are
2) describes how they can grow tiny mice pancreases
3) not such a good video, too much noise but basically suggesting by bringing lot's of people together as they are in Denmark that they may have the 'cure' for T1 in five -ten years (that is a figure that has unfortunately been used for a long time)
http://danstem.ku.dk/about1/about-stem-cells/movies/
Embryonic stem cells in research usually come from those that are left over and donated after in vitro fertilisation . This is legal in many countries including Denmark and in the UK but is controversial and is not permitted in all countries. Some religious groups are opposed to it. including the Roman Catholic Church. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell_controversy
Some researchers in the US have been investigating the idea of starting with cells that have already been differentiated ie developed into an organ and discovering how to reprogram them to a pluripotent state.
This video describes replacing the genome (ie DNA) in an immature human egg with the genome from the patient. This came from the skin cells of a person with T1. In the egg cell (oocyte) the cells are reprogrammed, so it is in effect 'wiped clean' This technique uses an unfertilised egg so might be less controversial (but still needs a donor)
http://www.nyscf.org/about-us/watch-nyscf-videos/item/1656-scnt-breakthrough
I'll deal with the second part. So far researchers are only in an experimental stage with stem cells. They can't produce and implant human islets yet but it is a really exciting field of diabetes research
What they have to be able to do is to modify pluripotent cells (that is cells that can become anything except an embryo/plancenta) to islet cells that produce insulin. ( link is to wiki but is a good intro to what stem cells are)
To do this they have to make the cells go through all the stages that it would do in a developing foetus.
They will then have to find a way of encapsulating the cells so that they still work properly but can't be attacked and killed off by the body (this is what causes T1 in the first place) They will have to try this out in large mammals like pigs. before they attempt it with humans When they can do this then they will be able to use the treatment for people who have very brittle T1 diabetes (ie those who seem to have a form of T1 that is very difficult to control)
If they get through all the stages, they will then have to build a large production laboratory that can safely make the huge numbers of cells that would be needed for all T1s
They can grow mice pancreases which will produce insulin cells;
More about stem cells here: http://danstem.ku.dk/about1/about-stem-cells/
and click on the link to the movies
3 videos
1) describes what pluripotent stem cells are
2) describes how they can grow tiny mice pancreases
3) not such a good video, too much noise but basically suggesting by bringing lot's of people together as they are in Denmark that they may have the 'cure' for T1 in five -ten years (that is a figure that has unfortunately been used for a long time)
http://danstem.ku.dk/about1/about-stem-cells/movies/
Embryonic stem cells in research usually come from those that are left over and donated after in vitro fertilisation . This is legal in many countries including Denmark and in the UK but is controversial and is not permitted in all countries. Some religious groups are opposed to it. including the Roman Catholic Church. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell_controversy
Some researchers in the US have been investigating the idea of starting with cells that have already been differentiated ie developed into an organ and discovering how to reprogram them to a pluripotent state.
This video describes replacing the genome (ie DNA) in an immature human egg with the genome from the patient. This came from the skin cells of a person with T1. In the egg cell (oocyte) the cells are reprogrammed, so it is in effect 'wiped clean' This technique uses an unfertilised egg so might be less controversial (but still needs a donor)
http://www.nyscf.org/about-us/watch-nyscf-videos/item/1656-scnt-breakthrough
