title: Research status and prospect of stem cells in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.
abstract: Beta cell mass and function are decreased to varying degrees in diabetes. Islet cell replacement or regenerative therapy may offer great therapeutic promise to people with diabetes. In addition to primary pancreatic β cells, recent studies on regeneration of functional insulin producing cells (IPCs) revealed that several alternative cell sources, including embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells and adult stem cells, can generate IPCs by differentiation, reprogramming, and trans-differentiation. In this review, we discuss stem cells as a potential alternative cell source for the treatment of diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Xiaofang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yunfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yali
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xuetao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pei
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology*; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D057905:Stem Cell Research; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*