Researchers have managed to reverse type 1 diabetes in mice by giving them a transplant of pancreatic tissue grown inside rats.

The pancreatic tissue was grown from stem cells taken from healthy mice, which means the diabetic mice accepted the transplant without needing immunosuppressive drugs - and the new pancreatic cells successfully managed their blood sugar levels for more than a year without any other medication.

The results suggest the same technology could one day be used to treat humans, and possibly improve the success of all types of organ donations. 

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system destroys certain tissues within the pancreas, such as the pancreatic islet cells, which are responsible for producing insulin.