Editorial: Cellular replacement therapy for diabetes

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder with chronic hyperglycemia due to insulin deficiency and/or impaired insulin action. DM is a common disease, but it often threatens a patient's quality of life. Cellular replacement therapy using insulin-producing cells is a promising therapy for severe DM because of the proper provision of internal insulin according to a change in blood glucose concentrations. This Special Collection, "Cellular Replacement Therapy for Diabetes," was planned to appeal the current status and present novel translational trials of this therapy. Ten specialists presented their research, which attempted to overcome three limitations of the current cellular replacement therapy, including the regulation of immunity, limited donor supplies, and establishment of a preferable transplant site for cellular replacement therapy. Regarding regulation of immunity, potential of mesenchymal stem cells and immunomodulatory splenocytes is clarified. Regarding alternative donors, the current status of porcine islet xenotransplantation and therapy using multipotent stem cell-derived cells is introduced. And regarding transplant site, possibility of liver surface and subcutaneous tissue is elucidated.