Development and trend of stem cell therapy for diabetes: A comprehensive review based on Knowledge visualization analysis.

This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of the literature in the field of stem cell therapy for diabetes from 1995 to 2025 using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and the "bibliometrix" R package. The research focused on the distribution of countries/regions, institutions, and authors in this field, and analyzed current research hotspots and future development trends by reviewing key academic achievements and highly co-cited literature. The results show that research on stem cell therapy for diabetes is moving toward more refined cell engineering, particularly with significant progress in the study of β-cell maturation and differentiation mechanisms. Future research will place greater emphasis on the development of immune evasion technologies, including the design of novel biocompatible encapsulation materials and the exploration of local immune modulation strategies. Additionally, mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes, as well as other acellular products, show great potential in immune regulation and regeneration, opening up broad prospects for the treatment of diabetes complications. The study also points out that stem cell therapy for diabetes has reached a critical turning point, from proof-of-concept to clinical solutions. Future breakthroughs will rely on the deep integration of cell biology, immunology, genetic engineering, and clinical medicine to address fundamental issues related to cell function, immune rejection, and long-term safety, providing safer, more effective, and universally applicable therapeutic strategies for the functional cure of diabetes.