How are stem cells used to treat diabetes? Simply put, stem cells are a type of cells with multiple differentiation potentials, which can differentiate into various cells under the appropriate environment, and grow like “seeds” in various tissues and organs. The “seeds” will be induced by the microenvironment of pancreatic tissue to differentiate and proliferate into islet-like cells, which will replace the damaged pancreatic beta cells to secrete insulin and play a role in the treatment of diabetes. Regarding stem cell therapy for diabetes, there are three main methods: autologous bone marrow stem cell transplantation, autologous blood stem cell transplantation and umbilical cord blood stem cell transplantation: 1. Autologous bone marrow stem cell transplantation: The bone marrow of the patient is first collected under sterile conditions, then separated, purified and the stem cells in the bone marrow are extracted and then injected into the patient. 2.Autologous blood stem cell transplantation: firstly, the patient is treated with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for 4-5 days, the purpose of which is to “drive” the stem cells in the patient’s bone marrow into the peripheral blood. 3.Umbilical cord blood stem cell transplantation: Unlike the previous two methods, umbilical cord blood stem cells are not the patient’s own, but exogenous, so the patient does not need to collect bone marrow or stimulate with drugs.