Stem Cell Transplant
Type one: Stem cells are "undeveloped cells", they lack certain traits that developed cells contain. Type one diabetes effects 3 million Americans, more than 15000 children and young adults are diagnosed each year. Both types of diabetes are different, but what they have in common is troubles regulating the sugar in your blood. Insulin is what controls your blood sugar. Insulin is made in the pancreas by beta cells that are arranged in clusters called Islets of Langerhans. In a person with T1D their immune system is attacking the beta cells, preventing the production of insulin, leading to low blood glucose. Stem Cells come from many places including, the placenta, umbilical cord, bone marrow, blood cells, teeth and embryos. Research shows that stem cells can be grown in a lab. The University of Pittsburgh was able to grow stem cells that produced insulin, they achieved this by introducing the two genes 'cdk' and 'cyclin d' via a virus. They were able to successfully "manage" the cells, they could deactivate them and stop them from growing more. This shows that more research could lead to better availability of beta cells.
Taking stem cells from the patients own bone marrow or adipose tissue can teach the immune system so it stops attacking the beta cells. The new beta cells will sense the blood sugar levels and react accordingly. Stem cell therapy,has hopes of being a cure for T1D. There are many different kinds of stem cell therapy using different kinds of stem cells. One that is neither invasive or controversial is using stem cells from the umbilical cord. This can help the patient produce there own insulin not needing an insulin pump or needles.
Type two : People will get diagnosed with T2D usually when they are adults. When you don't exercise, become more obese and simply age your insulin resistance increases. In response to this your beta cells secrete more insulin. In some individuals this will cause beta cells to decline.
Many patients with type two have non traumatic blindness and kidney failure. Derived stem cells of patients with type two diabetes would lead to reduction of insulin requirement by 80% in a six month period. During stem cell transplant the patient recieves 200-300 million stem cells, this number covers the daily loses. Using ones own stem cells will regenerate the pancreas and boost its ability to produce insulin. For the best long term effects you get repeated applications of the stem cells, leaving space between to change diet and exercise.
This connects to the immune system, your immune system destroys your better cells islet cells in the pancreas for T1D.
(Diabetes.co.uk, 2017)
(Startstemcells.com, 2017)
(Cryo-cell.com, 2018)
(Eurostemcell.org, 2018)
(Medscape.org, 2018)
(Diabetes.co.uk, 2018)