There is ongoing research showing that stem cells taken from the testes can be transformed into cells that secrete insulin. In type 1 diabetics, the immune system attacks and destroys the cells of the pancreas that make insulin.
The recent experimental studies show that the transformed cells can bring down blood glucose levels. However, the number of stem cells required is massive and the insulin produced is minuscule. So far, the technology seems to help diabetic mice only and lot of work is needed before the same technology can be applied to humans.
Similar work involving injections of fetal and adult cells from the pancreatic beta cells to type 1 diabetics has been done before but the results have never been satisfactory. Other work has attempted to coax adult diabetic cells to start becoming young and start producing insulin- however, in most cases this has resulted in growth of cancer cells. Now researchers are focusing on the cells from the testes that can easily be coaxed into acting young and made to produce insulin without mucking around too much with the genes. With the testes cells, few of them become cancerous. The aim of these studies is to use testes cells, make them young and enable them to produce insulin.
The other advantage of this technique is that the cells come from the patient himself and thus there is no problem of adverse immune reactions as would occur with foreign cells. So far, it is not known if the immune system in humans would recognize the testes cells as foreign and destroy them. In humans, testes cells do not normally circulate free in blood.
Therefore, for those who are diabetics there is still a long ways before a cure for type 1 diabetes will come. In the meantime, continue using your insulin, exercise and do not smoke. This will not cure your diabetes, but it will help prevent complications of diabetes.
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