Recreating islet cells can boost insulin production, study finds

NEW YORK — In patients with Type 1 diabetes, the islet cells of the pancreas are destroyed, thus eliminating the organ’s ability to produce insulin.

But researchers at Georgetown University have found a way to recreate them using cells from the testicles, according to published reports.

WebMD reported that the researchers took the testicular tissue, extracted the stem cells and used them to create new islet cells. Injecting them into the pancreases of mice with diabetes. The researchers found that the cells began to secrete insulin.

Data from the study were scheduled for presentation at the American Society of Cell Biology’s annual meeting in Philadelphia.