DIABETES

 

Type 1 diabetes affects nearly 3 million Americans and costs roughly $15 billion annually. People with the disease have difficulty producing insulin to regulate blood glucose since their pancreatic, insulin-producing beta cells are destroyed by their own immune system. Recently, scientists have successfully derived insulin-producing beta cells from stem cells. Because stem cells can differentiate into nearly any type of cell, researchers were able to induce human embryonic stem cells into becoming pancreatic beta cells. Patients with type 1 diabetes will soon be able to replace their malfunctioning beta cells with stem cells. This new treatment is currently undergoing trials in mice and primates, and is on the path to becoming a truly effective treatment for a disease that affects millions of people worldwide.