Human pancreatic adult stem cells - Is it a gleam of hope to patients with type I diabetes mellitus?

Abstract

Regenerative medicine aims at replacing lost or defective tissues with new functioning ones. Regenerative medicine uses stem cells which are found in every organ of the body and provides a potential area for research. Pancreatic stem cells have received broad attention as it can be used in the treatment of irreparable disease of the pancreas such as Type I Diabetes Mellitus and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. This review gives a brief insight into the development of pancreatic stem cells, isolation techniques, therapeutic applications and the challenges faced in using adult pancreatic stem cells.