Good news is in the offing for diabetics who take insulin supplements to regulate blood sugar levels. Researchers at the University of Bergen, in collaboration with other international researchers, have discovered that glucagon-producing cells in the pancreas can change identity and adapt, so that they do the job for their neighbouring damaged or missing insulin cells.

This will usher in a totally new form of treatment for diabetes, where the body will be able to produce its own insulin. The researchers discovered that only about 2 per cent of the neighbouring cells in the pancreas could change identity. But even that percentage could mark a revolutionary approach in the treatment of diabetes. They believe the new discovery could also help treat other diseases caused by cell death, such as Alzheimer’s and cellular damage owing to heart attacks.

The study was published in Nature Cell Biology.  

Photo: iStock
February 2019