Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Stem Cells. Oct 26, 2026; 18(10): 124937
Published online Oct 26, 2026. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.124937
Published online Oct 26, 2026. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.124937
Stem cell therapy for endocrine and metabolic disorders
Dong-Qing Lv, Ming Xu, Shu-Qing Jin, Qin-Hao Liu, Jing Zhou, Jia-Ning Lv, Yun-Feng Liu, Department of Endocrinology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030000, Shanxi Province, China
Dong-Qing Lv, Ming Xu, Shu-Qing Jin, Qin-Hao Liu, Jing Zhou, Jia-Ning Lv, First Clinical Medical College, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030000, Shanxi Province, China
Sen-Jie Li, Department of Cardiovascular, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030000, Shanxi Province, China
Yun-Feng Liu, Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030000, Shanxi Province, China
Yi Zhang, Department of Pharmacology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030000, Shanxi Province, China
Co-first authors: Dong-Qing Lv and Ming Xu.
Co-corresponding authors: Yun-Feng Liu and Yi Zhang.
Author contributions: Lv DQ conceptualized the study; Jin SQ, Liu QH, Zhou J, and Lv JN performed the literature search and data analysis; Lv DQ, Xu M, and Li SJ drafted the work; Lv DQ and Xu M contributed equally to the intellectual content of this manuscript as co-first authors; Liu YF and Zhang Y critically revised the work, contributing equally to this manuscript as co-corresponding authors. All authors approved the final version to publish.
AI contribution statement: No Artificial Intelligence tools were used in the preparation of this manuscript.
Supported by Shanxi Province Higher Education “Billion Project” Science and Technology Guidance Project, No. BYJL024; Shanxi Provincial Health Commission 2026 Strengthening Basic Disciplines Plan for Science and Technology Advancing Medical Innovation Program, No. 2026QJGC010; and Shanxi Province Basic Research Program, No. 202303021212321.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Yun-Feng Liu, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Endocrinology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, No. 85 Jiefang South Road, Taiyuan 030000, Shanxi Province, China. nectarliu@163.com
Received: June 29, 2026
Revised: August 7, 2026
Accepted: September 30, 2026
Published online: October 26, 2026
Processing time: 122 Days and 3.1 Hours
Revised: August 7, 2026
Accepted: September 30, 2026
Published online: October 26, 2026
Processing time: 122 Days and 3.1 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: This review provides the first systematic comparison of pluripotent and mesenchymal stem cell strategies across major endocrine and metabolic disorders, diabetes, hypothyroidism, hypopituitarism, adrenal insufficiency, and osteoporosis. We establish a clear functional framework: Pluripotent stem cells-mediated cell replacement is applicable to diseases characterized by irreversible cell loss, whereas mesenchymal stem cell-mediated anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory actions are applicable to inflammation- or immune-driven conditions. We also identify translational barriers and propose actionable solutions, offering a roadmap from proof-of-concept toward clinical practice.