Tag Archives: Diabetes mellitus

Review on stem cells for treating diseases

Cell physiology, Drug, Immunology, ,

This weeks Science features a review (DOI: 10.1126/science.1247391) on induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (PSC) and the treatment of diseases with their help. The disease treated in the paper are hematopoietic maladies, diabetes mellitus, liver diseases, neurological disorders,  muscular distrophy and heart diseases.

I was particular interested in diabetes and went to study the article. I was surprised to see that a paper was mentioned where immunotherapy, especially the induction of tolerance, was tried. I have explained the strategy behind in a separate article on this website.

The article, at least for the diabetes part, is highly instructive. You may find it in an University library.

Beta-cell development and genetics

Biochemistry, Endocrinology, Genetics, Insulin,

Two reviews in Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism (DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tem.2014.05.001 and DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tem.2014.03.013) address the development and the pathogenesis of pancreatic β-cells. Conrad, Stein and Hunter describe the transcription factors in mice and man which lead to β-cell genesis while Thomsem and Gloyn focus their attention to malfunction leading diabetes mellitus. Both reviews together show the actual status in β-cell research.