Transcript
Narrator:
The Diabetes Research Institute presents a series of reports on the latest progress in cure-focused research – promising discoveries aimed at restoring natural insulin production in those living with diabetes.
Reporter:
The cells that produce insulin in the pancreas are called beta cells. They live within a cluster of cells called “islets.”
Scientists at the Diabetes Research Institute are using islets to restore natural insulin production in patients with type 1 diabetes.
But, islets are in short supply. So, researchers are trying to find ways to increase that supply.
One potential source is embryonic stem cells. These are immature cells that have not yet developed into a specific type of cell. Scientists believe they can prompt stem cells to become the type that’s needed – such as islet cells.
And, since stem cells theoretically divide without limit, the supply could be unlimited.
That’s the research focus of Dr. Helena Edlund, who directs stem cell programs at the Diabetes Research Institute in Miami and at Umea University in Sweden.
Edlund:
“This could be an unrestricted source for the generation of the specific type, cell type that you’re interested in, and in this case it would, of course, be the insulin producing beta cells.” (Edit) “They also have a huge expansion potential, which is what we would require if you were going to generate sufficient number of cells that would be clinically relevant for transplantation purposes.”
Reporter:
The challenge: how to make a stem cell turn into a beta cell. For years, scientists have been studying how it happens naturally.
Now, with much of that known, Edlund and her team are guiding the stem cell down that path – giving it instructive signals – so it becomes a beta cell.
Edlund:
“We still have some black holes on the way to insulin producing cells in particular, but we have a fair assessment today based on studies (edit) that I’ve done in my labs but also in other labs of factors that are critical at different time points.”
Reporter:
Edlund and her team are making progress.
The process of guiding stem cells down a specific path – step by step -- starts at the earliest stages of development – when embryos are only a few days old.
Stem cells go down one of three paths – becoming one of three germ layers called the mesoderm, the ectoderm or the endoderm.
It’s from these three layers that the entire embryo – and all of the different organs – form.
But it’s the endoderm that matters most to diabetes researchers -- because the endoderm ultimately gives rise to the pancreas.
Edlund:
“Was actually true challenge for quite some time is to generate definitive endoderm; that is endoderm that will give rise to endoderm organs in the body.”
Reporter:
But Edlund and her team have developed protocols to meet that challenge, and are successfully generating endoderm. They’ve taken the next step -- developing endoderm into cells that will turn into the pancreas, called pancreatic progenitor cells.
And now, they’re trying to go one step further.
Edlund:
“We have clues for factors that we now add to the protocol at the stage where we have pancreatic progenitor cells and try to coax them further to become insulin producing beta cells and this is what we are actually pursuing at this very moment, to introduce these factors that we have identified as prime candidate factors for the generation of functional beta cells.”
Reporter:
And the word “functional” is key.
She says the goal is not just to produce cells that make insulin … but that perform all of the functions of the islet cell – such as, sensing how much insulin the body needs, and releasing the correct amount – in response to glucose.
Edlund:
“Anyone can generate an insulin producing cell from basically any cell, this has been done repeatedly. But there’s an insulin producing, or beta cell as they’re called, in the body, it’s not a bag of insulin. You need to, for the cell to sense glucose, in a physiological relevant manner, secrete the correct response of insulin to whatever glucose level you have. And then to have the feedback also, when not to secret insulin.”
Reporter:
Looking ahead, Edlund is optimistic.
Edlund:
“The field at this stage I think is well on its way. The challenge now is to get functional beta cells from this.”
Reporter:
Much work remains – including studies with animal models – before this will be ready for human clinical trials.
Edlund:
“But I think we will get there. We’re on the right track, we and others, so I think we will get there.”
Narrator:
This has been a production of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.
For more information, or to show your support for the Diabetes Research Institute, call 1-800-321-3437.
You also may donate online at diabetesresearch.org.