Diabetes stem cells are abnormal cells that may remain in the body even after blood glucose levels temporarily return to normal, and they may contribute to the persistence of diabetes. In our research, we focus on the possibility that bone-marrow-derived cells are involved in the difficulty of curing diabetes and its complications. We believe that abnormal cells within the hematopoietic stem cell fraction may cause diabetes and its complications and create a condition that is difficult to reverse.

Diabetes has traditionally been viewed mainly as a disease of high blood glucose. However, one reason why diabetes may not be completely cured even when blood glucose is lowered could be that cellular-level causes remain inside the body. This is the concept behind diabetes stem cell research.

In simple terms, diabetes stem cells may be one of the “invisible causes” that allow diabetes to persist in the body. If the activity of these cells can be suppressed or the cells can be removed, it may lead to fundamental improvement of diabetes itself and its complications.