The isolation of human embryonic stem cell lines in recent years has really generated a vast excitement among scientists and other people about the possibility of producing quantities of transplantable beta cells.

Since then, more and more people have started considering using stem cells bank or a cord blood bank to store their childrens stem cells in case they become ill and get diseases like leukaemia, diabetes or a cancer. As the collection of umbilical cord blood cells can only be done just after the baby is born, the decision can only be made by the parents before giving birth.
The stem cells collected are usually stored at very low temperature by using cryopreservation.
This process is used to freeze the stem cells to preserve them and only use them when necessary, whether it is ten years or twenty years later.

Even though everybody is very excited about the possibilities and promises of treatments, there are still gaps in our knowledge of the cells that can be extracted to produce transplantable beta cells.
It is important to know that there are actually many different potential sources of cells for beta cell replacement, each having its advantages and disadvantages.
Embryonic stem cells are on of them, along side adult stem cells and pancreatic beta cell lines.
Mainly because of the ethical unease over embryonic stem cells, many of the studies done have been directed toward including beta cell differentiation from adult stem cells from the pancreas or the bone marrow most of the time.
Even though many people have claimed that stem cells from ectopic organs like the bone marrow can be induced to differentiate into a variety of cell types such as neurons for example, there have been no studies in which beta cells have been generated from adult stem cells outside the pancreas. It is almost certain that such studies will be undergone at some point though.
It as actually been known for some time already that the pool of beta cells can be regenerated when placed under stress by a number of manipulations, including partial pancreatectomy. Pancreatic cells can differentiate in vitro into mature beta cells. Some studies have found that duct cells can give rise to endocrine cells. Others have proposed that beta cells can be generated from other endocrine cells within the islet.

A finding that has generated some interest and also controversy involves a population of nest in-positive cells in the pancreas that has been shown to give rise to a variety of cell types, including pancreatic endocrine cells and hepatocytes.