Robert Lanza Talks About Generating Pancreatic Beta Cells With Embryonic Stem Cells

From Robert Lanza: Chief Scientific Officer of Advanced Cell Technology

Development of cures and treatments to many diseases, says Robert Lanza, can be fulfilled by harnessing the potential of pluripotent embryonic stem cells. These pluripotent cells have nearly limitless potential to develop and generate the different types of body cells found in the human body, thus providing the medical world with the potential to generate muscle tissue, blood tissue, skin tissue—even entire organs if the research progresses adequately.

Recently, a study has been made displaying how embryonic stem cells could be used, harnessing their signaling pathways, to develop pancreatic β-cells. Medical truth suggests that the key to curing diabetes lies in these β-cells, the destruction of which is the chief reason for the endocrine pancreas being unable to produce sufficient insulin.

From Robert Lanza: Chief Scientific Officer of Advanced Cell Technology

Robert Lanza goes on to say that there has been great research founded in trying to find a method that will regenerate a diabetic individual’s β-cells. Replenishing lost β-cell mass is a popular approach to curing diabetes, but it has taken a different turn with the development of pancreatic β-cells using embryonic stem cells.

By manipulating the signal pathways in the embryonic stem cells, β-cells could be generated from the ES cells, with researchers saying that there is a potential in starting material which could conceivably generate unlimited insulin-secreting cells. A promising strategy of development had been generated. However, the current protocols as they stand are not yet considered optimized due to the complexities of the signal pathways being used.

Hopefully, in a few more years, a breakthrough could be achieved that could mean a massive step in combating diabetes. Robert Lanza’s extensive research on the embryonic stem cell is detailed at www.robertlanza.com.

From Robert Lanza: Chief Scientific Officer of Advanced Cell Technology