ABSTRACT
Impairment of wound healing in diabetic patients is an important clinical problem. Various studies have suggested that using regenerative medical therapy could be a good solution. Mesenchymal stem cells are nonhematopoietic progenitor cells that have high differentiation potential and could be isolated from bone marrow and other tissues. The aim of this study was to assess the role of stem cells in the healing of diabetic skin wounds of male albino rats. Forty-two male albino rats were used in this study. Seven of them of an average weight of 50-70 g were used for extraction of bone marrow. The rest of the rats were of an average weight of 150-200 g and were used as animal models. The animals were divided into four groups: group I, comprising rats from which the bone marrow was extracted; group II, which formed the control group; group III, comprising diabetic wounded rats; and group IV, in which wounded diabetic rats were treated with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Diabetes was induced in rats by means of a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Wounds of groups III and IV were examined after 3 and 7 days. Skin specimens were processed and stained with H and E and Masson's trichrome. Re-epithelization with complete closure of the wound was noted in the stem cell-treated group after 7 days. There was a significant increase in the number of hair follicles/high-power field and increase in the collagen content of the dermis in the stem cell-treated groups compared with the untreated groups. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells can be effectively used in the treatment of diabetic wounds