Experts agree that islet encapsulation is a promising concept for making the benefits of islet transplantation available to people suffering from diabetes without the use of immunosuppressant drugs. The capsules come in two types. A capsule containing a single islet is called a microcapsule; one that contains many islets is a macrocapsule. The macrocapsule is safer,
Archive for November, 2009
An Example of Academic Research Presented as A Path to the Cure
Monday, November 9th, 2009
I have chosen to comment on this paper because it has good science and has attracted notice. Unfortunately, however, it is difficult to see how this work could possibly be construed to bring us any nearer at all to a cure.
“This study was designed to test the hypothesis that macroencapsulated human β-cell precursors transplanted into severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice can survive and mature into functional β-cells in vivo.” Here is what these researchers at Burnham Institute in San Diego did.