Narrative Review of Advancements in Stem Cell Therapy: Adipose-Derived Stem Cells for Diabetic Foot Ulcer Treatment

Abstract

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a severe complication of diabetes, with current standard care often failing to prevent chronic morbidity and amputation. This narrative review examines the therapeutic potential of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) for DFUs treatment. ADSCs promote healing through paracrine secretion of growth factors, immunomodulation, and stimulation of angiogenesis, as demonstrated in promising preclinical and early clinical studies. We outline these mechanisms, discuss the emerging role of ADSC-derived exosomes as a potentially safer alternative, and summarize key clinical findings. However, significant challenges remain, including potential risks of tumorigenicity, donor cell variability, and a lack of standardized protocols. While ADSC therapy represents a highly promising regenerative approach for DFUs, its safety and efficacy must be firmly established through more rigorous preclinical studies and large-scale, randomized controlled trials before it can be broadly adopted in clinical practice. This review concludes that while ADSC therapy is a highly promising regenerative approach for DFUs, its translation to clinical practice necessitates further rigorous investigations to overcome existing translational barriers.