RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN STEM CELL THERAPY OF DIABETES: A REVIEW

Diabetes mellitus is chronic metabolic syndrome. Type1 diabetes results from autoimmune destruction of pancreatic islet β-cells, also it is associated with insulin resistance. Present ways for management of diabetes i.e. oral hypoglycemic agents & insulin therapy are unable to irradicate diabetes completely. Also these therapies have several drawbacks. Stem cell therapy has the potential to dramatically change the treatment of human diseases. Stem cells are characterized by ability to renew themselves through mitotic cell division into diverse range of specialized cell types. Recent advances in stem cell biology raise possibility of complete cure of diabetes by pancreatic transplantation. Replaced β-cells can act as effectively as normal islet cells. Therefore β-cell replacement may emerge as potential therapy for both types 1 & type 2 diabetes with minimal side effects. This review highlights the recent developments taking place in stem cell therapy for diabetes.