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Scientists have developed an implantable gel that contains genetically modified light-sensitive cells and it can be used to treat diabetes. Myunghwan Choi of Harvard Medical School in Boston and colleagues designed an implantable gel that guided light under a mouse's skin in experiments. To control diabetes, the team shone light into the mouse and at the implanted gel using a fibre optic cable attached to its head.
The light triggered cells in the gel to produce a compound that stimulated the secretion of insulin and stabilised blood glucose levels, New Scientists reported. The team also showed they could monitor for cadmium poisoning using cells that fluoresced when the mouse was under stress from the toxin.
The gel is in the prototype stage but Choi's team is already planning to make it more user-friendly. For example, he said, 'we are thinking of adding a micro-LED with a wireless power receiver [to the gel implant].'
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a metabolic disease which is characterised by high blood sugar levels. It can be caused either due to the lack of insulin (type 1 diabetes) or because the body's cells fail to respond to the insulin produced (type 2 diabetes). Some of the common symptoms of diabetes are hunger, frequent urination and increased thirst. While type 1 diabetes is usually genetic, type 2 diabetes is caused more by lifestyle factors. It is one of the common 'lifestyle diseases' which is plaguing people in the developed countries and often has a causal link to heart diseases, hypertension and obesity. Read more...
Living with diabetes
According to the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, in India, the number of diabetics rose from 50.8 million in 2010 to 62.4 million in 2011. So millions of Indians cope with diabetes on a daily basis and, while some of these diabetic patients may require medications, all will need to make changes in their lifestyle. Though the changes in diet and activity may vary from person to person, planning and routine are essential to successfully managing the diabetic condition. (Celebrities with diabetes)
Living with diabetes becomes stress-free once a systematic approach to taking medications, dietary restrictions, regular physical activity and blood glucose monitoring is established. Controlling diabetes is often a lifetime task that requires a combination of personal determination, medical assistance, friends and family, support groups and online tools. Read more...
With inputs from agencies