Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate liver metabolism in diabetic rats with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease

Figure 1 The effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells on body weight, blood glucose, and the liver in diabetes mellitus model rats. A: Schematic diagram of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell treatment in diabetes mellitus rats; B: Changes in body weight over time in each group of rats; C: Changes in fasting blood glucose levels over time in each group of rats; D: Representative images of hematoxylin and eosin-stained liver tissue from each group of rats; scale bars = 400 μm (left) and 200 μm (right); E: Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in each group of rats; F: Spearman correlation analysis between fasting blood glucose levels and liver injury-related indicators; G: Serum triglyceride levels in each group of rats; H: Spearman correlation analysis between triglyceride levels and liver injury-related indicators. ^aP < 0.01, ^bP < 0.001, ^cP < 0.0001. Control group, n = 8; diabetes mellitus group, n = 7; diabetes mellitus + human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells group, n = 8. STZ: Streptozotocin; hUC-MSCs: Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells; HFSD: High-fat, high-sugar diet; DM: Diabetes mellitus; FBG: Fasting blood glucose; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; TG: Triglyceride.