Swedish Scientists Reverse Diabetes in Mice Using Lab-Grown Insulin Cells

Development of Improved Insulin Cells

Scientists in Sweden have developed a more reliable method for creating insulin-producing cells from human stem cells. The research was conducted by teams at the Karolinska Institutet and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

According to the researchers, this improved production method generates insulin-producing cells that are more uniform and more mature than those produced using previous techniques. The results of the study were published in the journal *Stem Cell Reports*.

Laboratory and Animal Testing

In laboratory tests, the newly developed cells demonstrated a strong response to glucose and successfully released insulin. The cells were tested across eight different human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) lines, all of which generated glucose-responsive stem cell-islets.

When these lab-grown cells were transplanted into diabetic mice, the animals gradually regained control over their blood sugar levels. The study demonstrated that these cells effectively regulate blood sugar in laboratory settings and can reverse diabetes in mouse models.

Context of Type 1 Diabetes Treatment

The ability to create reliable, glucose-responsive insulin cells is considered a major hurdle for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. The Swedish study focuses on the reliability and maturity of the cells created from stem cells to ensure they function as intended once transplanted.

Other research into type 1 diabetes has explored different avenues for reversal. A separate study from Stanford School of Medicine focused on resetting the immune system in diabetic mice to allow for the creation of new insulin-making cells. That approach aimed to achieve a reversal of the condition without the use of toxic chemotherapy or radiation typically associated with immune system resets.