Researches at the Manchester and Sheffield Universities have been able to identify the techniques to turn embryonic stem cells into insulin-producing pancreatic tissue. They will now be able to manipulate the stem cell to produce ‘transcription factor’, a protein necessary for treatment.

The number of embryonic stem cells, able to produce insulin-producing pancreatic cells, were very few in number. The challenge now is to find a way to produce greater number of insulin producing stem cells economically.

Embryonic stem cells have the capacity to transform to any types of cells which promises treatment of deadly diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and lot of other diseases.

Researchers have found that the transcription factor PAX4 can transform embryonic stem cells to the insulin producing pancreatic beta cells, when transplanted into human body.

The team believes that the functional beta cells, if transplanted into the human body, can be a good solution for the type 2 diabetes. The cells produced by the team, resemble fetal pancreatic cells rather than adult tissue. The study, published in the Journal Public Library of Science, was funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Medical Research Council.
Source: University of Manchester