New artificial beta cells could revolutionize the therapy of diabetes

Is an improved treatment of diabetes possible in the near future??

In recent decades, the number of people suffering from diabetes has increased sharply. Diabetes is high in blood sugar. For this reason, diabetes is often referred to as diabetes. To enable improved treatment in the future, scientists from the US have now developed intelligent, artificial beta cells.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University developed artificial beta cells that could be used to treat diabetes. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Nature Chemical Biology".

Many people in Germany suffer from diabetes. Patients must inject insulin to compensate for a deficiency. Researchers have now developed artificial beta cells that could make injections unnecessary in the future. (Image: 6okean / fotolia.com)

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a so-called chronic metabolic disease. The disease has two forms, which are particularly important and widespread. These two forms are type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. The type 1 disease begins in most cases already in childhood. In diabetes sufferers suffer from a lack of the hormone insulin. In the course of the disease, the insulin-producing cells die in the pancreas, thereby increasing the blood sugar level of those affected. Patients must use insulin to compensate for the deficiency.

Artificial beta cells work reliably in mice

Experts from the USA have now succeeded in developing intelligent, artificial beta cells that could revolutionize the treatment of diabetes in the future. Such treatment would actually work without annoying injections or insulin pumps, the researchers explain. The function of the artificial beta cells has already been tested in experiments on mice in a laboratory. The results of the scientists show that the new approach seems to work without any problems.

What is the role of the beta cells in the pancreas??

The beta cells (artificial beta cells, ABCs) artificially produced by the researchers mimic the function of the normal beta cells in the pancreas, which normally release insulin, which then controls blood sugar levels in healthy people. If the beta cells die or do not function properly, it causes Type 1 diabetes. In some cases, this also causes type 2 diabetes, say the experts.

Artificial beta cells quickly normalized the blood sugar levels of mice

When the artificially manufactured cells were used to treat mice with diabetes in a laboratory, this led to a rapid normalization of blood sugar levels. In addition, the blood glucose remained stable for up to five whole days after treatment with the artificial cells, the investigators from the USA say.

How are the artificial beta cells constructed??

The man-made beta cells were constructed using a simplified version of normal cell membrane with lipid bilayer, scientists say. The great innovation of the newly developed cells is that they contain insulin-filled vesicles, the experts explain.

Further research is needed

As the glucose level rises, it causes various chemical changes in the so-called vesicle shell. As a result, then insulin is released, explain the experts. Further research is now needed to further optimize the synthetic cells produced. In the future, for example, the researchers could develop a special patch that can easily transport the synthetic beta cells into the body through skin contact without pain. (As)