Diabetes is rising at an alarming rate world-wide with a precipitous increase in diabetic microvascular complications. Diabetes induced microvascular complications is a leading cause of blindness, amputations and renal failure. The collective evidence suggests that endothelial cell apoptosis and altered vasoreparative mechanisms play an important role in pathogenesis of microvascular complications. While glycemic control helps in reducing the risk of microvascular complications, therapeutic options to treat diabetic microvascular complications are limited. In recent years accumulating evidence suggest that diabetic patients may greatly benefit from cell-based therapies involving adult stem or progenitor cells. Cell therapies from a variety of sources such as circulating endothelial progenitor cells, mesenchymal stem cells, embryonic stem cells and inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPS) cells have been considered as possibilities as novel treatment strategies. This research topic will discuss the potential of cell-based therapies in the treatment of microvascular complications. In particular submission of manuscripts focusing on cell based therapies for diabetic microvascular complications such as retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy are encouraged. Research articles covering basic and clinical studies involving stem cell-based therapies including ethical and legal aspects of stem cell therapy will be welcomed. Overall, this edition will provide a platform to discuss recent contributions in the field of diabetic microvascular complications and to identify priorities for future investigations.
Diabetes is rising at an alarming rate world-wide with a precipitous increase in diabetic microvascular complications. Diabetes induced microvascular complications is a leading cause of blindness, amputations and renal failure. The collective evidence suggests that endothelial cell apoptosis and altered vasoreparative mechanisms play an important role in pathogenesis of microvascular complications. While glycemic control helps in reducing the risk of microvascular complications, therapeutic options to treat diabetic microvascular complications are limited. In recent years accumulating evidence suggest that diabetic patients may greatly benefit from cell-based therapies involving adult stem or progenitor cells. Cell therapies from a variety of sources such as circulating endothelial progenitor cells, mesenchymal stem cells, embryonic stem cells and inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPS) cells have been considered as possibilities as novel treatment strategies. This research topic will discuss the potential of cell-based therapies in the treatment of microvascular complications. In particular submission of manuscripts focusing on cell based therapies for diabetic microvascular complications such as retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy are encouraged. Research articles covering basic and clinical studies involving stem cell-based therapies including ethical and legal aspects of stem cell therapy will be welcomed. Overall, this edition will provide a platform to discuss recent contributions in the field of diabetic microvascular complications and to identify priorities for future investigations.