A scanning electron micrograph showing mesenchymal stem cells, derived from an umbilical cord, that have been grown in a gel culture
EYE OF SCIENCE/SCIENTIFIC PHOTO LIBRARY
Stem cells taken from babies’ umbilical cords can delay the progression of type 1 diabetes in other people, a small trial has shown.
Type 1 diabetes usually begins in teenagers and young adults, when their immune system mistakenly begins to attack cells in the pancreas that make the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar. Those affected must therefore inject themselves with artificial insulin.
Exploring the potential of stem cells…