Scientists in the Netherlands have successfully isolated and grown stem cells in mice that can develop into cells that make up the pancreas. This could pave the way for the repair and replacement of damaged pancreatic cells that produce insulin, which can someday treat diseases such as diabetes. The results are reported in The EMBO Journal. The research team, headed by Dr. Hans Clevers of the Hubrecht Institute has

People suffering from diabetes do not have enough insulin in their body essential for regulating their blood sugar levels. A primary cause of this is that diabetics do not have enough pancreatic beta cells to produce enough insulin in their body. This lack of insulin making cells may someday be addressed as researchers have discovered a mechanism in the body that may convert other cell types into pancreatic beta ce