Emerging cell-based and cell-free therapeutic strategies for vitiligo
Gholijani N., Noori E., Zarei-Behjani Z., Rezaee D., Khodaei M., Darya G.
Narrative Review, published in J Transl Autoimmun (2025) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.
Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.
- Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
- Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
- Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
- Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
- Emerging · Emerging topic under active research
This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.
- Study type
- Narrative Review
- Journal
- J Transl Autoimmun (2025)
- Reported sample size
- —
- Source database
- Europe PMC
- PMID
- 41323471
- PMCID
- PMC12664403
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jtauto.2025.100331
- Citations
- 1
Abstract (original English)
Vitiligo is a chronic, acquired skin disorder characterized by the loss of pigmentation due to the destruction or dysfunction of melanocytes. Conventional treatments such as corticosteroids and phototherapy often produce limited and unpredictable outcomes. In recent years, novel therapeutic strategies-including both cell-based and cell-free approaches such as melanocyte transplantation, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), stem cell secretome, and exosomes-have emerged as promising alternatives. These therapies aim to restore pigmentation by replenishing melanocytes, modulating immune responses, and mitigating oxidative stress. This review explores the mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy, and translational challenges associated with each approach. While melanocyte transplantation demonstrates the highest repigmentation success in stable cases, stem cell- and exosome-based therapies offer significant potential for personalized and long-term treatment of vitiligo.
What this study does not prove
- • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.
- • This is a narrative review: it collects no new patient data and does not systematically appraise evidence quality.
Evidence level
Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.
How we grade evidenceBrowse all related research
Filter the research library by this study's title keywords, author, or publication year.