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I wonder if , just like transplanted pancreatic tissues from human donors, substantia nigra cells derived from donated human brains could be transplanted into the brain stem of a PWP? On Wed, 1 Mar 2000 00:06:28 -0500 janet marie paterson <[log in to unmask]> writes: > Diabetes reversed in the lab > > Tuesday, 29 February, 2000, 11:56 GMT - Scientists have made a > breakthrough that promises a potential cure for childhood diabetes. > > They have used stem cells - immature cells that have yet to develop > a distinct character - to stimulate the production of the hormone > insulin in sufficient quantity to reverse diabetes in mice. > > Diabetes affects around 5% of the population. It is estimated that > 100,000 children suffer from juvenile diabetes in the UK. > > Type-1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas produces insufficient > amounts of insulin - needed to convert glucose in the cells into > energy. > > This is caused by a fault in the immune system which turns against > the insulin-producing pancreatic islet cells and destroys them. > > Researchers have tried for two decades to combat the disease by > perfecting a technique to transplant pancreatic islet cells into > diabetes sufferers. > > However, the clinical success of islet transplants has been less > than 20%, due to the difficulty in obtaining large enough numbers of > purified islets. > > A team from the University of Florida has finally developed a way to > grow large numbers of islet cells. > > They did this culturing a particular type of stem cell known as a > pluripotent pancreatic ductal epithelial cell from diabetic adult > mice. > > When these cultured islet cells were transplanted into diabetic > mice, they evolved into small, insulin-secreting organs known as > islets of Langerhans, which can produce enough insulin to cure the > diabetes. > > Lead researcher Professor Ammon Peck, an immunologist, said: "This > is very exciting, because the cells can be placed very simply into > an individual in an area with no need for a complicated surgical > procedure." > > But he added: "Obviously there are still a number of hurdles we have > to overcome and a lot of theoretical questions we have to have > answers to before we would begin implanting the cells in humans." > > Professor Peck said scientists were attempting to duplicate the > study using human cells. > > They hope to begin implantation in primates soon, which would pave > the way for eventual human trials. > > Islet stem cells currently are obtained from human organ donors. > > A spokeswoman for the British Diabetic Association said: "This is a > very interesting area of research which could have far-reaching > implications for people with diabetes. > > "However, this research is still in its very early stages, and even > if successful, will take many years to bring benefits to those > living with the condition." > > The BDA's caution was echoed by Dr Matthew Kiln, a south London GP > and joint chairman of the Insulin Dependent Diabetes Trust. > > He said: "This sounds nice in theory, but in practice it may not > work." > > Diabetes can cause damage to blood vessels, which can lead to heart > disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and poor circulation to > the lower limbs. > > The research is published in the journal Nature Medicine. > > > BBC News Online: Health > http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/health/newsid_660000/660947.stm > > janet paterson > 52 now / 41 dx / 37 onset > a new voice: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/ > 613 256 8340 PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario Canada K0A 1A0 ^^^^^^ WARM GREETINGS FROM ^^^^^^^^^^^^ :-) Ivan Suzman 50/39/36 [log in to unmask] :-) Portland, Maine land of lighthouses deg. F :-) ********************************************************************