Tissue Engineering A Diabetes Cure
(From EurekAlert). Scientists working on a cure for type 1 diabetes have developed "a 'reversibly immortalized' cell line that can supply large amounts of insulin-producing human beta-cells. ... The resulting cells produced about 40% as much insulin as normal beta-cells and successfully controlled blood sugar levels in diabetic mice for more than 30 weeks. ...
plans to develop a 'universal beta-cell line' are well underway, and Dr. Yoon anticipates that human clinical trials might begin as soon as three to five years from now." This tissue engineering process is clever; it could be applied to age-related medical conditions that result from the failure of comparatively small numbers of specialized cells.
Link: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-09/rfuo-hbl092505.php