Daramola Olukemi, Abrahamse Heidi, Crous Anine
Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, South Africa.
Stem Cell Res Ther. 2025 Sep 26;16(1):514. doi: 10.1186/s13287-025-04643-5.
The differentiation of stem cells into functional insulin-producing beta (β) cells is a promising strategy in regenerative medicine, particularly in addressing the increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus. Among the various strategies investigated for guiding stem cell differentiation, photobiomodulation (PBM) has emerged as an innovative approach to enhance the differentiation efficiency of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) into functional insulin-producing β cells. Photobiomodulation involves the use of specific wavelengths of light to regulate cellular activity, offering advantages such as non-invasive modulation of signalling pathways and potential improvements in differentiation efficiency. This review focuses on how PBM can facilitate the differentiation of ADSCs into functional insulin-producing β cells. While other factors such as growth factors, extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions, and genetic modifications also play a role in β-cell development, they are only discussed in relation to their impact on PBM processes. By refining the scope, this review aims to provide the utility of PBM technique in differentiation of ADSCs into functional insulin-producing β cells within three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems and its potential clinical applications. We delve into the mechanisms of β cell differentiation, highlighting the pivotal role of key signalling pathways and cellular processes involved, influence of PBM on signalling pathways involved in β-cell differentiation, and emerging findings from preclinical research. Additionally, we discuss the 3D culture systems including the importance of 3D culture system in stem cell differentiation and various 3D culture techniques for β cell differentiation. Furthermore, we assess the current challenges and limitations in this field, such as scalability and clinical translation, explore future possibilities for incorporating PBM-based techniques into clinical practice and propose potential avenues for future research to overcome these hurdles. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into the promising role of PBM in generating functional insulin-producing β cells from ADSCs, paving way for novel therapeutic strategies in diabetes treatment.
干细胞分化为具有功能的产胰岛素β细胞是再生医学中一种很有前景的策略，尤其在应对糖尿病患病率不断上升的问题上。在为引导干细胞分化而研究的各种策略中，光生物调节（PBM）已成为一种创新方法，可提高脂肪来源干细胞（ADSCs）向具有功能的产胰岛素β细胞的分化效率。光生物调节涉及使用特定波长的光来调节细胞活动，具有诸如对信号通路进行非侵入性调节以及可能提高分化效率等优点。本综述重点关注PBM如何促进ADSCs分化为具有功能的产胰岛素β细胞。虽然其他因素如生长因子、细胞外基质（ECM）相互作用和基因修饰在β细胞发育中也起作用，但仅在它们对PBM过程的影响方面进行讨论。通过细化范围，本综述旨在提供PBM技术在三维（3D）细胞培养系统中将ADSCs分化为具有功能的产胰岛素β细胞的效用及其潜在的临床应用。我们深入探讨β细胞分化的机制，强调关键信号通路和相关细胞过程的关键作用、PBM对β细胞分化相关信号通路的影响以及临床前研究的新发现。此外，我们讨论3D培养系统，包括3D培养系统在干细胞分化中的重要性以及用于β细胞分化的各种3D培养技术。此外，我们评估该领域当前的挑战和局限性，如可扩展性和临床转化，探索将基于PBM的技术纳入临床实践的未来可能性，并提出未来研究克服这些障碍的潜在途径。总体而言，本综述为PBM在从ADSCs生成具有功能的产胰岛素β细胞方面的前景作用提供了有价值的见解，为糖尿病治疗的新治疗策略铺平了道路。
