Cell Transplantation Therapies to Reverse Type 1 Diabetes: A review

Abstract

Stem cell technology is demonstrating promising advancements in cure of diseases due its differentiation ability. Type 1 diabetes is mainly caused by autoimmune β cells destruction. In this review, we focus on treatment procedures of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) with numerous stem cells (SCs) i.e hPSCs, MSCs, hESCs, BMSCs, AFSCs, HSCs and islet cells (that are not stem cells but they are approved worldwide and are being successfully used to permanently reverse T1D). A brief overview of this disease along with the advancements in treatment of T1D with stem cells is discussed. Biomaterial encapsulation to avoid immune rejection and improved immunomodulation and immune tolerance via drugs /bioengineering techniques makes the outcomes of SC therapies more efficient and productive, hence, proving to be another future milestone of completely reversing type 1 diabetes especially in those patients who got clinically diagnosed at an early stage and then received prompt treatment of either restoration of already available β cells functionality or transplantation of purified and functional SCs differentiated insulin producing cells to normalize the glycemic control and homeostasis.