Medical researchers at University College London have come up with a way to produce regulatory T-cells, highly specialized immune cells that regulate the body’s immune response. Normally making up less than 1% of the body’s immune cells, T-regs (as they’re known for short) function by turning down the body’s immune response. Given that autoimmune disorders are characterized by a hyperactive immune response in which the immune system attacks itself, the ability to mass produce these cells might lead to cures for such autoimmune diseases as Multiple Sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and diabetes.

According to an article in New Scientist, the trick has been how to produce enough T-regs to make a difference without shutting down the immune system and leaving people open to infection. Scientists have apparently figured out a way to use the more common T-cell found in the blood system and attach to it specific genes that encode for T-regs. This is done by piggy-backing the genes to a virus which can then be injected into the host.

To read more about this technique check out the article published in the November 2009 issue of New Scientist.