Human Umbilical Cord Blood Cells Improves Diabetic Wound Healing

A team of Korean researchers published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation the following transplanting human umbilical cord blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) has been found to "significantly accelerate" wound closure in diabetic mouse models.

The EPC Study

Dr. Wonhee Suh of the CHA University Stem Cell Institute has said. “While the therapeutic potential of transplanted EPCs has been demonstrated in animal models and in humans who have suffered stroke, myocardial infarction and peripheral artery disease, their effect in healing stubborn wounds has not been studied to the same degree.” The researchers transplanted EPCs into an experimental group of mice with diabetes-associated wounds, but did not transplant EPCs into a control group, found that the EPCs "prompted wound healing and increased neovascularization" in the experimental group.

Conclusion

Human studies still need to be done but the mice models prove to be positive with the use of EPC’s. It not only accelerated the healing time in the mice it also produced positive results in diabetic wounds that were difficult to treat with numerous other treatment options.