If anyone is interested, I have read that the Joslin Diabetes center
has researched islet cell function in Type 1 diabetes patients who
have had diabetes for 50+ years(published today in www.joslin.org) The
results of their research is very encouraging as they have found that
even though the Type 1 diabetics were insulin dependent for most of
their lives,they sill had some islet cell function. I find this to be
very encouraging as this research confirms what Dr. Faustman found in
the NOD mouse (some remaining islet cell function). I have always had
concerns for those people who have had diabetes for a long time, and
wondered if they could be cured if the autoimmunity was stopped. This
new research gives me much hope that if Dr. Faustman stops the
autoimmunity as she did in the NOD mouse, islet cells could still
regenerate even for those who have had diabetes for a long time.
Comments are appreciated...
Ellen