Source: Columbia University
Date Published: October 13, 2014
Scientists have recently claimed that they have created an insulin-secreting pancreatic beta cell. Though scientists have claimed to create the insulin cell, it is still far from achieving the clinical results that they are hoping for. However, it presents the idea that a cell treatment could help treat the diabetes. Melton said, "We are tired of curing mice… Most patients are sick of hearing that sometimes just around the corner: I sick of thinking things are just around the corner but I do believe in the big picture" (Melton). Other scientists are already trying to repress repeat Meltons experiment immediately, as they have all been waiting for a long time to make something bigger out of the result. Six steps are involved in the process. It involves chemicals, growth factors, it takes 40 days from embryonic or adult stem cells to mature into pancreatic beta cells. This process can create millions of insulin cells. Scientists are trying to re-create the work and are trying to find ways to scale the process. Thus they can create an effective theory.
This post is relevant to our current studies, because it involves cells. As we discussed in our class, as we take in glucose, most of it is passed through our liver. Want to go it has gone into the liver, it also produces something called insulin. The insulin floats around and the insulin receptors on the cells bring them through the cell membrane. This is called selective permeability. To be specific, the insulin could be carried into the cell by the channel proteins. Insulin needs channel proteins because unlike water, it cannot flip through the cell membrane on its own. It is too big.
Works Cited:
Grant, Bob. "Lab-Made Insulin-Secreting Cells." Columbia University. The Scientist. Web. 26 October 2014.
