Researchers at Northwestern Medicine have successfully transplanted insulin-producing cells across species lines — removing cells from rats and implanting them in mice — without using drugs to prevent rejection of the foreign cells. While the transplant may seem like a small victory — mice and rats are pretty similar, after all — it marks a significant step forward in interspecies transplants that could one day save human lives by allowing the implantation of insulin-producing “islet” cells without necessitating the use of immunosuppressive drugs that can have dire side effects.
via Geekosystem
