Mini-Organs to Help Cure Diabetes: What are They?

Your body has an organ called the pancreas, which contains cells that do a very important job: they make insulin, a hormone that helps control the amount of sugar in your blood. Insulin acts like a key, unlocking cells so they can use sugar for energy. In type 1 diabetes, the body’s defense system mistakenly attacks these insulin-producing cells. Without insulin, sugar builds up in the blood, which can be harmful. To stay healthy, kids and teens with diabetes need to take insulin every day, through injections or pumps. But insulin does not fix the problem. Scientists are working on an exciting new idea: growing tiny “mini-organs” in the lab that act like the cells in the pancreas and make insulin to control blood sugar. The plan is to transplant these mini-organs into people with diabetes, so their bodies can make insulin again. This research could help kids with diabetes live healthier, easier lives.