Challenges associated with regenerative therapy/ cell replacement therapy in Diabetes
The current International Diabetes Federation (IDF) atlas indicate that every one in eleven (slowly approaching one in ten) adults are suffering from Diabetes. The true number is more alarming as a significant percentage of diabetic patients go undiagnosed. The main issue in diabetes is the dwindling beta cell population within the endocrine pancreas (islets), which significantly limits the biosynthesis and secretion of insulin. Scientists have been trying to come around this problem by exploring various means to generate new functional islets as there is a heavy limitation on donor (cadaveric) islets and all the other therapeutic drugs currently available in the market can only manage the diabetic condition, which is far from a cure. It is not that its impossible to replace the islets but there are a plethora of real time challenges involved in this process. I just wanted to take this opportunity and open a discussion that may help us understand these challenges more vividly...