Is There A Cure For Diabetes?

Finding a way to restore or replenish b-cells has been a major challenge in the search for a diabetes cure. In the past, the most successful therapy for increasing the number of healthy b-cells in a patient was a b-cell transplant. This technique, however, proved unfavourable for a variety of reasons. For a single transplant, the minimum number of b-cells needed was 2-3 healthy donors. Furthermore, the immunosuppressive medicines necessary to keep the body from rejecting the donor cells were difficult for the recipient to tolerate.

Is it possible for stem cells to assist people with diabetes?

Researchers are now looking to stem cells as a way to generate a large number of new b-cells without the drawbacks of transplantation. The stem cells travel to the injured tissue after being implanted, develop into new b-cells, and continue to maintain a healthy amount of b-cells in the body. Alternatively, stem cells may be generated in the lab and encouraged to produce insulin. These cells might then be used to restore cells that have been depleted in a patient's body. Type 1 diabetes might be effectively controlled with these strategies without relying on the restricted availability of donor cells.

Stem cell treatment for Type 2 Diabetes in India may be treated using stem cells in a similar fashion. Although b-cells are still present in Type 2 patients, extra b-cells might augment the body's supply and help the patient overcome insulin resistance. To address a patient's insulin resistance, treatment might try to keep b-cell levels above the needed level.