Scientists in China have claimed to have achieved the world's first reversal of type-2 diabetes using stem-cell therapy. Type-2 diabetes is prevalent across the world, and in India, and according to experts, the condition cannot be cured or reversed but can only go into remission.

If you have type 2 diabetes, your body would be unable to use insulin properly, raising your blood sugar levels. And so, to control it, doctors would prescribe you insulin and medications. However, once you become insulin dependent, it is nearly impossible to regain normal function.

Chinese researchers said they used stem cell therapy to transplant healthy pancreatic cells to mimic the function of insulin regulation inside the body. This experimental treatment has seen success for the first time, wherein the patient is no longer dependent on injectable insulin or medication for managing blood sugar.

Reversal of Type 2 diabetes using stem cells is encouraging

For the two cases, scientists used stem cells taken from the patient's own body. The main reason that they are used is that they have the ability to transform into different types of specialised cells and perform the desired function. In the lab, these stem cells are guided using chemical signals and genetic cues to become pancreatic islet cells.

They are then turned into beta cells – your body's natural insulin producers. These cells are now considered reprogrammed and grown into clusters to mimic the natural structure of pancreatic tissue that is damaged. These clusters can sense blood sugar levels and release insulin when needed.

Thereafter, the insulin-producing clusters are transplanted into the patient's body. In the case of two patients, they were made to be transplanted in the abdomen, where they integrated with the patient's blood supply. While the main challenge is to know whether the cells are accepted or rejected, which determines the outcome, this time it was a successful experiment.

And so, in order to restore insulin production, the transplanted cells begin functioning like healthy pancreatic beta cells, working to detect rising blood glucose and release insulin accordingly, and lowering sugar levels naturally. This reduces or eliminates the need for external insulin injections.

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Stem cell therapy for type 2 diabetes represents an emerging form of regenerative medicine aimed at restoring the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar. Instead of simply managing symptoms with medication or insulin, this approach seeks to repair or replace damaged insulin-producing cells, potentially offering a more personalized and long-term treatment strategy.

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