Type 1 diabetes is the result of an autoimmune attack in the body that results in the destruction of the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. The ability to create a useful model of diabetes could inform studies investigating causes of the disease. A paper recently published by HSCI Scientific Co-director Doug Melton, PhD, and colleagues reported the creation of induced pluripotent cells (iPS) cells from diabetes patients. These diabetic iPS (DiPS) cells were derived from skin cells taken from diabetic patients that were then reprogrammed into pluripotency by introducing a mix of the transcription factors OCT4, SOX2, and KLF4. These cells were then differentiated into cells that, like beta cells, produce insulin. These DiPS cells have exciting promise as a model for examining the disease in vitro as well as a potential cell source for cell replacement therapy in the future.

Maehr, R., Chen, S., Snitow, M., Ludwig, T., Yagasaki, L., Goland, R., Leibel, R.L., Melton, D.A. (2009). Generation of pluripotent stem cells from patients with type 1 diabetes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. [Epub ahead of print]