Researchers in China have developed a system than enables smartphones to control release of glucose-lowering hormones in mice by engineered cells, paving the way for the development of an automated way for monitoring blood glucose levels and delivering insulin in humans too.<\/p>\n
Am estimated 415 million people worldwide are living with diabetes, and frequently need to inject themselves with insulin to manage their blood sugar.<\/p>\n
The findings, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, showed that cells engineered to produce insulin under the command of a smartphone helped keep blood sugar levels within normal limits in diabetic mice.<\/p>\n
Combining living tissues and technology, Jiawei Shao of East China Normal University in Shanghai, and colleagues created custom cells that produced insulin when illuminated by far-red light – the same wavelengths emitted by therapy bulbs and infrared saunas.<\/p>\n
These designer cells were transfected with optogenetic circuits, which enabled them to produce the hormones in response to far-red light.<\/p>\n
A smartphone could adjust far-red light intensity and duration with help from a control box.<\/p>\n
Implanting hydrogel capsules containing both engineered cells and light-emitting diode light sources provided a semiautonomous system that maintained glucose homeostasis over several weeks in diabetic mice.<\/p>\n
This study illuminates the potential of cell-based therapies and the researchers believe that successfully linking digital signals with engineered cells represents an important step toward translating similar cell-based therapies into the clinic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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