Stem Cell Transplant Research in Treating Diabetes

For decades, scientists have been dedicated to searching for methods to replace the insulin-secreting cells in pancreas which are destroyed by patient’ own immune system. Now, researchers have turned their attention to adult stem cells that appear to be precursors to islet cells and embryonic stem cells that produce insulin.

What are stem cells? Stem cells are cells qualified with several properties:

◆ Stem cells are capable of self-renewal, which means a cell can divide and produce more cells without itself becoming a different type of cells.

◆They can differentiate into specialized cells, usually through asymmetric division that results in mother cell and a daughter cell that has begun down the multi-step path of becoming a tissue- or organ-specific cell.

◆They are not specialized- in other words, they can not perform operations specific to a certain kind of tissue or organ, like pumping blood through an artery or forming skeletal structures.Stem Cell Therapy for End Stage Renal Disease Shijiazhuang Kidney Disease Hospital Stem Cell Therapy for Kidney Failure

Embryonic stem cells:

Embryonic stem cells come from excess fertilized eggs that are discarded at in vitro fertility clinics. Researchers believe that embryonic stem cells, which can replicate themselves infinitely, may be used to grow new tissue that will become the ‘missing link” needed to cure some of the world’s most debilitating illnesses and conditions, including Diabetes. Because of ethics issue, clinical application of embryonic stem cells is restricted.

Adult stem cells

Adult stem cells are the multipotent progenitors like hematopoietic stem cells that are maintained throughout life, and can be extracted from the bone marrow and a number of other specialized niches within the body.Stem Cell Therapy for End Stage Renal Disease Shijiazhuang Kidney Disease Hospital Stem Cell Therapy for Kidney Failure

Therapeutic effects of stem cells in diabetes:

◆ Beta-cell regeneration: it is the most well known potential use of stem cells in diabetes treatment field. Diabetics themselves don’t have functioning beta cells. Stem cell transplantation is preferred rather than exogenous insulin secretion. By this way patients can get away from such diabetic complications as blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, neuropathy and amputations.

◆Wound healing: in addition to treating diabetes itself, stem cells are being applied to treat some complications associated with diabetes. Several types of adult stem cells, including mesenchymal stem cells, the multipotent progenitors which yield cells that make up bones, fat, cartilage, and other related tissues, have been found to be remarkable in wound healing wounds, stimulating tissue growth and regeneration of ailments like diabetic foot ulcers.Stem Cell Therapy for End Stage Renal Disease Shijiazhuang Kidney Disease Hospital Stem Cell Therapy for Kidney Failure

◆Immunoprivileging: stem cell assimilation and treatment of injuries, doesn’t have to stay on the surface. One of the incredible things about mesenchymal stem cells is that, when injected into an organism, they will move towards the locations with the greatest need. Thereby, if a patient was recently diagnosed as diabetes, and their immunity is the process of attacking the beta cells, infused stem cells may naturally more towards the inflammation site-the pancreas. Once there, stem cells will act in their natural healing ability, inhibiting the immune offense and creating an immunopriveleged environment around the beta cells.