Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder marked by insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion, resulting in hyperglycemia and microvascular complications. Conventional treatments, such as lifestyle changes and pharmacotherapy, often fail to provide optimal glycemic control or prevent complications.
Recent advances in stem cell therapy, particularly involving mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), have shown promise in reducing blood glucose levels, improving glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and addressing microvascular and macrovascular complications without promising a cure for this chronic illness.
Many biotechnological advances have set up T2DM among its targeted conditions. To mention a few, 3D bioprinting and gene therapy are being exploited to enhance stem cell applications.
Though a cure for diabetes remains out of sight, significant progress has been made through these novel approaches. Early clinical trials demonstrate improved glycemic control, insulin independence, and enhanced beta-cell survival all leading a path to control the devastations of T2DM complications.
Advanced stem cell therapies, including the differentiation or reprogramming of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), MSCs, and marrow-derived stem cells (MDSCs) into beta islet cells, offer other innovative avenues.
In addition to reviewing the recent advances in stem cell therapies in this field, we explore the impact of stem cell differentiation on diabetic complications like nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy, and cardiovascular diseases, and the challenges of scalability, safety, and regulatory hurdles. The role of gene editing with CRISPR-Cas9 and the potential of 3D bioprinting, the mechanisms implicated such as direct differentiation, immune modulation, tissue repair, and paracrine effects are also examined.