Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2012, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (49): 9276-9282.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2012.49.028

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Stem cells therapy for treatment of diabetic mellitus and complications
 

Wang Yan-gang, Yu Jiang-su   

  1. Department of Endocrinology, Hospital Affiliated to Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China
  • Received:2012-03-02 Revised:2012-03-05 Online:2012-12-02 Published:2013-01-16
  • About author:M.D., Chief physician, Department of Endocrinology, Hospital Affiliated to Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China wangyg1966@yahoo.com.cn

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus can be effectively treated by drugs, but it still continues to progress. Recently, stem cells in particular mesenchymal stem cells for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus have been paid increasing attention, and a series of basic and clinical studies have been made.
OBJECTIVE: To summarize and analyze the research progress in stem cells therapy for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and complications, which provide direction for future clinical studies.
METHODS: A computer-based online retrieval was performed by the first author in PubMed database for searching the papers describing stem cells therapy for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and the complications published between January 1981 and January 2012 in English with the key word “diabetic mellitus, stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, complication, therapy”. Repetitive studies were excluded and 57 papers were included in the final analysis.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Stem cells can be used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus by promoting pancreatic β-cell survival and regeneration and reducing apoptosis. Furthermore, stem cells can also be used to treat the complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus including diabetic cardiomyopathy and neuropathy. Adult stem cells, in particular mesenchymal stem cells, are more suitable for use as seed cells because of convenient harvest, low immunogenicity and no ethical disputes, and become the focus for current and future studies regarding treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and complications.

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