Le staminali embrionali potrebbero presto diventare la nuova arma per combattere e magari sconfiggere in via definitiva il diabete di tipo 1. I risultati di una ricerca pubblicata sulla rivista “Cell” hanno infatti dimostrato che, grazie a un “cocktail perfetto” di sostanze chimiche, le embrionali possono essere trasformate in cellule beta del pancreas, in grado di produrre insulina e controllare il livello di zucchero nel sangue.
A ideare e testare in laboratorio quella che potrebbe rappresentare una vera e propria rivoluzione nel trattamento del diabete di tipo 1, una forma di diabete che si configura come malattia autoimmune, caratterizzata dalla distruzione delle cellule B pancreatiche e che colpisce circa il 3% della popolazione mondiale con un'incidenza particolare in Sardegna, è stato un team della Harvard University guidato dal professor Doug Melton.
Il team ha prodotto in laboratorio centinaia di milioni di cellule grazie alle staminali embrionali, realizzando poi un “mix perfetto” di sostanze chimiche in grado di trasformarle in cellule beta del pancreas, proprio quelle che vengono attaccate e distrutte dal sistema immunitario nelle persone affette diabete di tipo 1.
Red.MM/ATS/Swing
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