beta cell islets

[acba]

Why can't we take beta cell islets from a honeymooner and allow them to reproduce outside the body and then retransplant them back.

[JDRF-Team-SS]

Hello again,



Good question....



Visit the link below and you can search for more information using the term Edmonton protocol.

http://www.expressnews.ualberta.ca/article.cfm?id=6354



This procedure has not been perfected and from what I understand, patients who have undergone this procedure have to take a lot of immunosupressive drugs that could have possible side effects.  



I really do not have a lot of insight and knowledge as far as the scientific / medical side of all of the research being done and your question is a very good one.  One would think that beta cells could be taken from a non-diabetic's pancreas, but ultimately, the CURE has to be better than the disease itself.



Please do search "Edmonton protocol"

[JDRF-Team-LRS]

Acba,

I'm another volunteer and a long-time diabetic.



One reason that "just putting in good cells" doesn't work for us is that the destruction of beta cells is the SYMPTOM of our underlying auto-immune dysfunction.  Our systems would simply destroy the new beta cells they find.



The reseasrch into curing diabetes is so complex, in part, becuase there're a lotta things going on in our bodies, beyond our need to supplement with insulin.  I'm convinced that the path to a cure will result from an integration of many research paths ... and that I'll get to hear that a cure has been found in my lifetime (I'm 50 now).  



JDRF is aimed at Accelerating the Cure ... Just yesterday I was told that the goal is to condense 25 years of research into the next 5 years.  If everyone with diabetes gave just $10 when the Walk for a Cure is in their area, we'd raise $160,000,000 this year... probably 5 years could be shrunk to 4 years.  If we all got our pals to donate $10, too ...