Bone marrow cell differentiation

Patent Number: 7,169,608

The patent describes a simple method of inducing differentiation of bone marrow into islets by a simple two step culture approach involving an initial culture in low concentration of glucose (at least 3 days) followed by a subsequent culture in high concentration of glucose (at least 7 days).

The resulting cells generate insulin in response to sugar, and are capable of preventing diabetes when administered in vivo into animals.

The patent is interesting because authors have actually published some of the data from the patent (Oh et al. Adult bone marrow-derived cells trans-differentiating into insulin-producing cells for the treatment of type I diabetes. Lab Invest. 2004 May;84(5):607-17).

Noteworthy points about the data is that the bone marrow derived cells would take an architecture similar to that found in the normal islets when administered in vivo. The transplanted cells would produce insulin (I and II), glucagon, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide, and C-peptide. In additions various animal models of diabetes were cured by administration of bone marrow cells that were manipulated according to the invention.

View this patent on the USPTO website.