Sperm-producing cells coaxed to produce insulin

Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have been able to prod human cells that normally produce sperm to make insulin instead and, after transplanting them, the cells briefly cured mice with type 1 diabetes.

The researchers used spermatogonial cells, extracted from the testicles of deceased human organ donors. In the testes, the function of these cells is to produce sperm. However, outside of the testes the cells behave a lot like human eggs do, and there are certain genes that turn them on and make them behave like embryonic-like stem cells

The research team will be presenting the findings Sunday at the American Society of Cell Biology annual meeting in Philadelphia.