Regardless of the emotional and religious issues surrounding stem cell therapy, scientists are confident stem cell research will lead the way to understanding and curing many of the diseases humans suffer from today.

One disease which could benefit from such research is diabetes.

Patients with Type 1 are unable to produce insulin, a hormone necessary “to convert sugar (glucose), starches and other food into energy needed for daily life,” according to the American Diabetes Association. Type 1 patients have a lack of beta cell function. This autoimmune deficiency leaves the body to attack the cells in the pancreas so that it can no longer produce insulin on its own.

Now reacher can get the stem cells from amniotic fluid, so that may take a big bite out of the arguments against it. Though stem cell research is still 15 to 20 years from finding a cure, diabetes is one disease that is expected to be helped by stem cell research. The goal is to develop stem cells that can replace the cells in the pancreas that do not produce insulin.

For more information about Newton Memorial Hospital’s diabetes education programs, call 973-579-8340.

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  • Stem Cells Could Be Formed By Insulin Producing (Pancreatic β) Cells
  • Embryonic Stem Cells to Replace the Insulin-Producing Cells
  • Stem Cells Could Help Growing Insulin Preducing Cells
  • Manchester and Sheffield University Researchers Successfully Convert Embryonic Stem Cells To Insulin Producing Pancretic Tissue
  • Stem Cells from the Umbilical Cords to Produce Insulin in Diabetics
  • Stem Cells from Umbilical Cord Can Successfully Treat Type 1 Diabetes
  • Stanford scientists takes first step towards producing renewable source of insulin producing cells from brain-derived stem cells
  • Stem Cell Therapy Gives New Path to Cure Type 2 Diabetes
  • Type 1 Diabetes Treatment With Cord Blood Transplantation
  • Ethical Contorversy Over Embryonic Stem Cell Research Is Likely To Be Over