In collaboration with other international researchers, researchers at the University of Bergen have, discovered that glucagon producing cells in the pancreas, can change identity and adapt so that they do the job for their neighbouring damaged or missing insulin cells.
“We are possibly facing the start of a totally new form of treatment for diabetes, where the body can produce its own insulin, with some start-up help,” says Researcher Luiza Ghila at the Raeder Research Lab, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen.
The researchers discovered that only about 2 per cent the neighbouring cells in the pancreas could change identity.
For the first time in history, researchers were able to describe the mechanisms behind the process of cell identity is a result of signals from the surrounding cells.
In the study, researchers were able to increase the number of insulin producing cells to 5 per cent, by using a drug that influenced the inter-cell signalling process.
“If we gain more knowledge about the mechanisms behind this cell flexibility, then we could possibly be able to control the process and change more cells’ identities so that more insulin can be produced, ” Ghila explains.
According to the researchers, the cells´ ability to change identity and function, may be a decisive discovery in treating other diseases caused by cell death, such as Alzheimer´s disease and cellular damage due to heart attacks,” says Luiza Ghila. (Vanguard Nigeria)
