Question: Is stem cell transplantation for those with type 1 diabetes a long term, sustainable cure or a short term hype?

David Christensen answered on 12 Nov 2013:

Hi vampire5678, stem cells will hopefully be useful in producing a long-term cure for type 1 diabetes. Some scientists work on making the pancreas cells that would be needed for transplant from embryonic stem cells, but it is difficult. Those cells have a complex function and must be able to detect the amount of sugar in the blood and then respond to help control that blood sugar level. Making stem cells become a pancreas cell that is able to do this properly is difficult and very complicated. On top of that, transplantation of embryonic stem cells may not work because the immune system of the patient receiving the transplant might attack the transplant. I think it is likely that research on production of pancreas cells from embryonic stem cells will help scientists make pancreas cells from induced pluripotent cells which could be taken from the patient. This is likely to be how a long-term cure for diabetes is made.

You are also right though that stem cell research gets a lot of hype in the news and it can be dangerous for a lot of people to think they will get their diseases treated with stem cells now, when the research is not finished yet. It will be quite a few years before stem cells can be used for treatment of complex diseases like type 1 diabetes.

Thanks for the question.