Stem cells are increasingly used in medical treatments, with a significant breakthrough from Shanghai.
A senior with type-2 diabetes for 25 years has not needed insulin for 33 months following regenerative islet cell transplantation. This new treatment involves reprogramming the patient’s peripheral blood mononuclear cells into pluripotent stem cells, which are injected into the pancreas to restore insulin production. This method, developed after 10 years of research, offers hope for China’s 140 million diabetes sufferers.
The study indicates the potential to halt diabetes progression and avoid complications. Future research aims to develop off-the-shelf drugs for widespread use.