Teflon, A New Tool In Fighting Diabetes?

I was scanning my diabetes news feeds when I came across this little article “Device Protects Transplanted Pancreatic Cells From The Immune System“ The article starts off with this paragraph: “Scientists at Burnham Institute for Medical Research and the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have demonstrated in mice that transplanted pancreatic precursor cells are protected from the immune system when encapsulated in polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE).? I thought to myself, cool, but what is polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE)?

Polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), as it is referred to in the article is Teflon. That same material used as a non stick coating on frying pans, muffin trays, bake ware and many other products. According to some advisers to the EPA this chemical should be classified as a likely carcinogen, (causes cancer). The EPA, instead of banning its use in hundreds of products has given companies until 2015 to figure out a way to make the chemical safe. Hmmm, glad they are looking out for my health.

Anyways, back to the news of how Teflon may help type 1 diabetics. It seems they encapsulate transplanted pancreatic precursor cells and this will protect them from the bodies immune system. Mind you this has only been done on mice but has lots of promise for us two legged human types.

The article left me with a few questions, one of which I already touched upon, but I have a few more. According to the article they “encapsulate” these cells. I am wondering what that really means. Does it mean they are encapsulated with Teflon before the transplant or do they do it after?

Another question how does a precursor cell encapsulated with Teflon grow into the intended functional beta cells? If the Teflon keeps the bodies immune system from attacking the cells how are the cells getting the nutrients it needs to become the beta cell it so surely wants to be?

What happens to the Teflon after the cells have matured into beta cells?

To be honest I literally have scores of questions about this process. I find it both promising and troubling at the same time. The article I read did not have enough information on the mechanics of the process. I will be doing some research on this to try and find out more about this process and will report it back here when I do. It is my hope that this process somehow negates the Teflon’s possible cancer causing attributes. If so this could be a really great step forward in treating type 1 diabetes and the beta cell transplantation specialty. If not then I wonder if the benefits outweigh the risks.

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