TITLE:
Research Progress on the Role of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell Homing in the Repair of Diabetic Foot Ulcers
AUTHORS:
Jiahui Wang, Runze Wu, Huaidong Xu, Dingpeng Ban, Erxi Xu, Gongzu Wang, Shengchao Yang, Haidong Zhou, Jihua Wei
KEYWORDS:
Diabetic Foot Ulcer, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Stem Cell Homing, Wound Healing
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.14 No.3,
March
3,
2026
ABSTRACT: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU), as one of the most common and severe complications of diabetes, imposes a heavy medical burden on patients and society due to its refractory nature. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), with their potent multidirectional differentiation potential, immunomodulatory capabilities, and tissue regeneration-promoting properties, have emerged as a highly promising strategy for DFU treatment. This review summarizes the mechanisms and application progress of BMSCs in DFU treatment. Firstly, the pathophysiological basis of DFU is elucidated, including hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress, dysregulated inflammatory responses, and sensory neuropathy. Secondly, the biological characteristics of BMSCs are introduced, including their sources, multidirectional differentiation potential, and key immunomodulatory functions. The core section focuses on the molecular mechanisms of BMSCs homing to injury sites, involving chemokine signaling pathways such as SDF-1/CXCR4, cell adhesion molecules like integrins, and the coordinated regulation of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) system. On this basis, the review summarizes the multiple pathways through which BMSCs promote DFU healing, including angiogenesis promotion, growth factor secretion, immune microenvironment regulation, and direct participation in tissue regeneration. However, the diabetic pathological microenvironment impairs the homing efficiency and functionality of BMSCs. Therefore, the review further discusses strategies to enhance their homing efficiency, such as genetic modification, hypoxia or cytokine preconditioning, and combination with biological scaffolds. Finally, the challenges and future research directions are discussed, emphasizing the need to further optimize cell delivery and functional maintenance strategies to advance BMSC therapy toward safer and more efficient clinical translation.