Treating diabetes, cerebral palsy and heart disease with cord
blood Type 1 Diabetes Type 1 Diabetes is also known as juvenile
diabetes. It is an autoimmune disease caused by the body's own
immune system attacking and destroying the insulin producing
cells in the pancreas. Insulin allows the body to process sugar
to create energy, and without insulin, the body literally
starves as it cannot process food. Type 1 Diabetes affects more
than 140,000 people in Australia alone and, while it can be
managed, at present it cannot be cured. As a result, it is a
lifelong and often disabling disease that can severely impact
the quality of life of those who are afflicted. Type 1 diabetes
- Fast Facts Researchers are looking at a wide range of
potential cell-based therapies and the use of autologous
umbilical cord blood as a source of immunomodulatory cells for
the treatment of autoimmune diseases has become increasingly
popular7-10. Umbilical cord blood contains a population of
immature but highly functional regulatory T-c