Regenerative medicine approaches for treating diabetes: Current advances and future directions

Diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia, has become a global health issue. The disease primarily presents as type 1 diabetes (T1D), caused by autoimmune β-cell destruction; type 2 diabetes (T2D), driven by insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction; and monogenic diabetes, resulting from single-gene mutations affecting insulin production or β-cell function. Chronic hyperglycemia increases the risk of severe complications, including cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, and kidney failure. Despite advancements in insulin therapy and glucose monitoring, no cure currently exists for diabetes, with treatments mainly focused on managing symptoms rather than addressing the underlying β-cell loss. Regenerative medicine offers new hope, particularly through β-cell replacement strategies such as islet and stem cell-derived β-cell transplantation. Advances in generating hypoimmunogenic stem cell-derived pancreatic β-cells may help overcome immune rejection and donor shortages. These therapies have shown promise in clinical trials for both T1D and T2D. Furthermore, pharmacological strategies targeting β-cell regeneration show promise in enhancing β-cell proliferation and function. This review highlights the significant advancements in regenerative approaches for diabetes, underscoring the potential for long-term management and, ultimately, a cure for diabetes in the future.