Of Mice and Men. Again

The New York Times reports in a recent Science section report that,

"Mice Fall Short as Test Subjects for Humans’ Deadly Ills"

 No kidding! Really?


Here is a part of what the Times says:

The study’s findings do not mean that mice are useless models for all human diseases. But, its authors said, they do raise troubling questions about diseases like the ones in the study that involve the immune system, including cancer and heart disease.

That immune system bit - I would think T1D falls right in there.


I use to post reports with the tag Mice because they seed so promising. Then I came to realize that Mice get cure all the time. It isn't quite like you can spit on one of these special non obese diabetic mice and it is suddenly cured but it sure sometimes seem that way. I stopped posting about mice.

Research in mice is valuable, I am sure that a lot of good basic science happens there.

Still if you are newly diagnosed T1D family and you read theses stories read and remember this Times article. Hope is a magic thing and I want you to be hopeful. Hopeful and confident that your child can grow and be successful pursuing his or her individual dreams in a long happy useful life. T1 Diabetes doesn't prevent any of that. Just remember that stories about mice and diabetes are a long way from being stories about THE cure.

If you want to read about cure progress I suggest reading Josh Levy's blogs. One is about studies with people and another is about studies with mice. Here's my two bits on his blogs.
http://cureresearch4type1diabetes.blogspot.com/2011/12/two-essays-on-progress.html
http://t1dcuredinmice.blogspot.com

Be informed, Be hopeful and take what your read on the internet (even here) with a little skepticism.

Also see:

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/02/07/1222878110
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/science/testing-of-some-deadly-diseases-on-mice-mislead-report-says.html
http://www.ydmv.net/search?q=Mice

Damn Mice.

Apparently mice can now turn their gut cells into insulin producers. Seriously is it possible to spit on a mouse in a lab without curing diabetes? I think these diabetic mice just spontaneously cure themselves to stay in the media. Kinda like Charlie Sheen. 

Anyway here is the article and I notice the picture they ran is not a mouse. New Approach to Treating Type 1 Diabetes? Transforming Gut Cells Into Insulin Factories 

Not only do mice get cured at the drop of a hat they also have kick ass abs. Only way that is a mouse is if she was one of the dancers who work the Mickey suit at Disney World...

... get to hang out at Disney too. 

Damn mice 

#TwoBits on Cure Research. One Guy: Joshua Levy

Here’s a quick #TwoBits* from around the DOC.

We of us living with T1D want a cure. A lot of us also want an easy way to keep track of progress towards cure. My Go To Guy is Joshua Levy. In late December he wrote two essays well worth reading for those looking for cures. 

http://cureresearch4type1diabetes.blogspot.com/2011/12/two-essays-on-progress.html

Of Mice and Men: Joshua also started a new blog. One dedicated to all the NOD Mice that get cured. The freaking mice get cured all the time and each time starts a cycle of a cure is coming headlines. It is nice then to have a resource that knows the difference between curing mice and people while still keeping an informed eye on what is going one with the rodents. 

http://t1dcuredinmice.blogspot.com

*If you see an interesting pair of posts around the Diabetes Online Community (DOC) how about sharing them with the rest of us with the hash tag #TwoBits in case others missed them?

Mice Again

Molecule That Prevents Type 1 Diabetes in Mice Discovered; Has Similar Effect On Human Cells
ScienceDaily (Nov. 1, 2011) — Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine have found a specific molecule that can prevent the development of type 1 diabetes in mice and has a similar effect on human cells from diabetic patients.

More

Of Mice and Men: Spontanious Beta Cells

Some Cells in Pancreas Can Spontaneously Change Into Insulin-Producing Cells, Diabetes Researchers Show

ScienceDaily (Apr. 6, 2010) Alpha cells in the pancreas, which do not produce insulin, can convert into insulin-producing beta cells, advancing the prospect of regenerating beta cells as a cure for type 1 diabetes.

The findings come from a study at the University of Geneva, co-funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, that is published in the online edition of the scientific journal Nature.