[rsheridan6]

For some reason I can't reply to carbocation, but in reply to his objection that stem cells wouldn't help due to the autoimmune issue, there's a lab that claims to have solved that problem in mice. Apparently, when you get rid of the autoimmune cells, the insulin-producing beta cells grow back. The lab claims to have had a successful phase I (human) trial. If they're right, stem cells are irrelevant. I don't know enough to really evaluate this, but these are definitely serious people.

Here's the lab: http://www.faustmanlab.org/index.html

There's research going on for MS, another autoimmune disease, which also involves getting rid of the autoimmune cells. Here's one approach: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tovaxin

If they can get this kind of thing right, we'll live to see many autoimmune diseases cured.

[carbocation]

Excellent! This is the type of thing that gets me more excited, because it's treatment targeted at the cause of the disorder. (Stem cells will be so for certain diseases, too.) I hope they succeed.

[ahoyhere]

It seems like we can also forget about MS being an autoimmune disease - but rather a mechanical issue caused by iron deposits in the blood vessels leading to the brain:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/researchers-lab...

http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/news/20031022/multip...

[rsheridan6]

I wouldn't declare victory against MS just yet. Here's a skeptic: http://medicalmyths.wordpress.com/2010/04/10/kuwait-wastes-m...

And some patients report that it didn't help. http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-12463.html

The jury is still out, at best.