108 results about "Insulin producing cell" patented technology

A pancreatic controller (102), comprising: a glucose sensor (118), for sensing a level of glucose or insulin in a body serum; at least one electrode (110, 112), for electrifying an insulin producing cell or group of cells; a power source (104) for electrifying said electrode with a pulse that does not initiate an action potential in said cell and has an effect of increasing insulin secretion; and a controller (106) which receives the sensed level and controls said power source to electrify said electrode to have a desired effect on said level.

Methods and compositions for preserving the function of insulin-producing cells and to furthering the lifespan of insulin-producing cells in non-insulin dependent patients with insulin-related disorders are provided.

A method of generating cells capable of secreting insulin is disclosed. The method comprises subjecting mammalian embryonic stem cells to set of culturing conditions suitable for differentiation of at least a portion thereof into cells displaying at least one characteristic associated with a pancreatic islet cell progenitor phenotype, and subjecting such differentiated cells to a set of culturing conditions suitable for formation of surface bound cell clusters including insulin producing cells.

The invention relates to the discovery of a selective cell surface marker that permits the selection of a unique subset of pancreatic stems cells having a high propensity to differentiate into insulin producing cells or into insulin producing cell aggregates.

The present invention provides methods to promote the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into insulin producing cells. In particular, the present invention provides a method to increase the expression of NGN3 and NKX6.1 in populations of cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage.

A pancreatic controller, comprising: a glucose sensor, for sensing a level of glucose or insulin in a body serum; at least one electrode, for electrifying an insulin producing cell or group of cells; a power source for electrifying said electrode with a pulse that does not initiate an action potential in said cell and has an effect of increasing insulin secretion; and a controller which receives the sensed level and controls said power source to electrify said electrode to have a desired effect on said level.

The present invention features mouse models for Nkx-2.2 gene function and for Nkx-6.1 gene function, wherein the transgenic mouse is characterized by having a defect in Nkx-2.2 gene function or a defect in Nkx-6.1 gene function (where, because Nkx-2.2 acts upstream of Nkx-6.1, a defect in Nkx-2.2 gene function affects Nkx-6.1 gene function) and by having a decreased number of insulin-producing cells relative to a normal mouse. Where the transgenic mouse contains a defect in Nkx-2.2 gene function, the mouse is further characterized by a decreased number of serotonin-producing cells relative to a normal mouse. The transgenic mice may be either homozygous or heterozygous for the Nkx-2.2 or Nkx-6.1 defect.

A method of converting differentiated non-hormone producing pancreatic cells into differentiated hormone producing cells is disclosed. The method comprises two steps: first, culturing cells under conditions which convert differentiated non-hormone producing cells into stem cells; and second, culturing stem cells under conditions which provide for differentiating stem cells into hormone-producing cells. The invention defines growth and differentiation factors that are presented to the stem cells to result in their differentiation into hormone-producing cells, especially insulin-producing cells. The invention provides a new source of large quantities of hormone producing cells such as insulin-producing cells that are riot currently available for therapeutic uses such as the treatment of diabetes.

This invention provides a method of inhibiting viable cells transplanted into a subject from being destroyed by the subject's immune system which comprises: a) containing the viable cells, or tissue comprising the viable cells, prior to transplantation within a device comprising a semipermeable membrane; and b) treating the subject with a substance which inhibits an immune-system costimulation event in an amount effective to inhibit the subject's immune system from responding to said contained cells or tissue. In one embodiment, the substance which inhibits an immune-system costimulation event is CTLA4. Also provided by this invention is a method of treating diabetes in a subject which comprises: a) containing viable insulin-producing cells, or tissue comprising such cells, within a device comprising a semipermeable membrane; b) transplanting an effective amount of such contained viable insulin-producing cells into the subject; and c) treating the subject with an effective amount of a substance which inhibits an immune-system costimulation event.

The invention features methods for increasing or maintaining the number of functional cells of a predetermined type in a mammal (e.g., a human patient), for example, the insulin producing cells of the pancreas, liver cells, spleen cells, or bone cells, that has injured or damaged cells of the predetermined type or is deficient in cells of the predetermined type.

A population of enteroendocrine cells (EEC) is obtained from a mammalian post-natal cell population, such as a population including post-natal stem cells, by treating the population with a plurality of small molecules that upregulate ChgA and promote differentiation of the cells to form the enteroendocrine cells. The upregulation of ChgA is such that the fraction of cells expressing CGA in the obtained cell population, as measured by a ChgA Immunostaining Assay, is at least about 1.5%. Small molecules that can be used to differentiate the post-natal cells into the enteroendocrine cells can include at least one of a Wnt activator, a Notch inhibitor, a Wnt inhibitor, a MEK/ERK inhibitor, a growth factor, a HDAC inhibitor, a Histone Methylation Inhibitor, a Tgf-β inhibitor, and a NeuroD1 activator. Also, the insulin expression of a population of mammalian cells is increased by treating the population with a plurality of small molecules that increase the insulin expression.

The invention features methods for increasing or maintaining the number of functional cells of a predetermined type, for example, insulin producing cells of the pancreas, blood cells, spleen cells, brain cells, heart cells, vascular tissue cells, cells of the bile duct, or skin cells, in a mammal (e.g., a human patient) that has injured or damaged cells of the predetermined type.

The present invention relates to a method to stimulate reversal of a diabetic state in a patient; a method to prevent autoimmune destruction of new insulin-producing cells (pancreatic beta-cells) in a patient; a method to promote survival of the newly regenerated insulin-producing cells (pancreatic beta-cells); and an in vivo method for the induction of islet cell neogenesis and new islet formation and the prevention of autoimmune destruction of said new cells.

The invention relates to the discovery of a selective cell surface marker that permits the selection of a unique subset of pancreatic stem cells having a high propensity to differentiate into insulin-producing cells or into insulin-producing cell aggregates.

Various embodiments of the invention include methods of generating a β-like cell comprising providing an expression cassette comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding MafA under the control of a heterologous promoter and transferring the expression cassette into a non-insulin producing cell, wherein the expression of the MafA in the cell converts the cell into a β-like cell.

A pharmaceutical combination comprising an accelerated lymphocyte homing agent in free form or in pharmaceutically acceptable salt form, and one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of an antibody to the IL-2 receptor, an immunosuppressive macrocyclic lactone and a soluble human complement inhibitor is used to treat or prevent insulin-producing cell graft rejection.