It is estimated that in the United States alone, diabetes affects 29 million people. Patients who suffer from this illness are susceptible to chronic leg and foot ulcers. These diabetic wounds are particularly likely to lead to amputations, due to a disruption in the healing process caused by the illness. In this context, finding aids to artificially accelerate the healing process for diabetic wounds is crucial.
One presently used technique for accelerating the healing process, is the direct injection of stem cells into the wound. This has been shown to significantly increase the rate of wound healing. However, the injection protocol reduces the lifespan of the cells though mechanical damage. Once the cells have been injected, there is no cell matrix present, further limiting their viability … read more