SHANGHAI, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have achieved a medical breakthrough by using endoderm stem cell-derived islet-like tissues (E-islet) to restore pancreatic islet function in patients with diabetes, potentially offering a new therapeutic option for millions worldwide.

A study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology shows that a Shanghai-based team has successfully treated three patients with type 1 diabetes using E-islet. This innovative therapy showcases the potential efficacy of such approaches in addressing this severe chronic condition, which traditionally necessitates lifelong insulin injections.

"Our approach is like replacing a 'part' for the patient," said Cheng Xin, co-corresponding author of the paper from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science.

Conventional methods use pluripotent stem cells, which are the developmental "root" capable of becoming any cell type. However, the process of deriving pancreatic islets involves an in vitro "branching" process that is lengthy and often inefficient, frequently leading to the generation of non-target cells.

The new procedure reconstructed islet-like tissue using stem cells, or an endodermal branch, bypassing the prolonged differentiation process needed for traditional pluripotent stem cells. This reduces cultivation time from 40 days to just 14 days and minimizes the risk of tumor formation, as endoderm stem cells themselves do not proliferate in vivo.

The three cases detailed in the study include a 30-year-old woman with an 18-year history of diabetes, a 45-year-old man with fulminant type 1 diabetes, and a 15-year-old girl -- the first ever juvenile case to receive such therapy. ■