Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a serious complication of diabetes and the main cause of nontraumatic lower limb
amputations, resulting in a serious economic burden on society. The main causes of DFUs include
peripheral neuropathy,
foot deformity, chronic
inflammation, and
peripheral artery disease. There are many clinical approaches for the treatment of DFUs, but they are all aimed at addressing a single aetiological factor. Stem cells (SCs), which express many
cytokines and a variety of
nerve growth factors and modulate immunological function in the
wound, may accelerate DFU healing by promoting angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and nerve growth and regulating the inflammatory response. However, the survival time of SCs without scaffold support in the
wound is short. Multifunctional gel
wound dressings play a critical role in skin wound healing due to their ability to maintain SC survival for a long time, provide moisture and prevent
electrolyte and water loss in DFUs. Among the many methods for clinical treatment of DFUs, the most successful one is
therapy with gel dressings loaded with SCs. To accelerate DFU healing, gel
wound dressings loaded with SCs are needed to promote the survival and migration of SCs and increase
wound contraction. This review summarizes the research advancements regarding multifunctional gel
wound dressings and SCs in the treatment of DFU to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of this combinational therapeutic strategy.