By Julie Bierach, KWMU
St. Louis – Scientists at Washington University have transplanted embryonic pig pancreatic cells into diabetic monkeys, which could have major implications for the treatment of diabetes in humans.
Dr. Marc Hammerman says the approach has reduced the animals' need for insulin injections and does not call for immunosuppression, which is a major problem in treating diabetes with transplantation.
"So in effect, the recipients are trading one disease, diabetes, for another disease, the affects of immunosuppression, which include susceptibility to infections, inductions of tumors, things like that," Hammerman said.
Before DNA technology enabled pharmaceutical companies to manufacture human insulin in the 1980's, pig and cow insulin were routinely given to diabetic patients.