Bibliometric Analysis of Kidney Transplantation-related Cell Therapy: Platelet-rich Plasma, Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells, and Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Abstract
Background: This bibliometric analysis systematically examines the global research landscape of cell therapy applications in kidney transplantation, with particular focus on platelet-rich plasma (PRP), mesenchymal stromal/stem cells
(MSCs), and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) over a 52-year period (1971-2023).
Objective: The study addresses three key research questions: (1) How has research output evolved temporally? (2)
What are the dominant research themes and collaborative networks? (3) Which institutions and authors have made
the most significant contributions?
Methods: We conducted a comprehensive analysis of English-language articles from Scopus and Web of Science databases using a systematic search strategy incorporating Boolean operators and wildcard terms. After applying strict
inclusion criteria and removing duplicates, 1,196 relevant publications were analyzed using RStudio (v4.1.4) with
the bibliometrix package and Biblioshiny web application. Analytical methods included publication trend analysis,
citation metrics, co-authorship network mapping, and keyword co-occurrence visualization.
Results: Our results reveal a marked increase in annual publications, with peak output occurring in 2021-2022. Leiden
University Medical Center emerged as the most productive institution (57 publications), while the United States
dominated country-level contributions. Network analysis identified collaborative clusters among 2,237 research institutions worldwide. Keyword analysis highlighted three major research themes: immunomodulation mechanisms
(particularly for MSCs), graft survival enhancement, and stem cell differentiation potential. The top-cited works predominantly focused on MSC applications for reducing graft rejection.
Conclusion: These findings provide valuable insights into the evolution of cell therapy research in kidney transplantation, demonstrating a growing scientific interest with clear translational potential. The identification of key contributors, collaborative networks, and research hotspots offers guidance for future investigations, particularly in
understudied areas such as PRP applications and the development of standardized clinical protocols. This analysis
serves as both a reference map of historical progress and a roadmap for future research directions in this promising
therapeutic domain.
(MSCs), and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) over a 52-year period (1971-2023).
Objective: The study addresses three key research questions: (1) How has research output evolved temporally? (2)
What are the dominant research themes and collaborative networks? (3) Which institutions and authors have made
the most significant contributions?
Methods: We conducted a comprehensive analysis of English-language articles from Scopus and Web of Science databases using a systematic search strategy incorporating Boolean operators and wildcard terms. After applying strict
inclusion criteria and removing duplicates, 1,196 relevant publications were analyzed using RStudio (v4.1.4) with
the bibliometrix package and Biblioshiny web application. Analytical methods included publication trend analysis,
citation metrics, co-authorship network mapping, and keyword co-occurrence visualization.
Results: Our results reveal a marked increase in annual publications, with peak output occurring in 2021-2022. Leiden
University Medical Center emerged as the most productive institution (57 publications), while the United States
dominated country-level contributions. Network analysis identified collaborative clusters among 2,237 research institutions worldwide. Keyword analysis highlighted three major research themes: immunomodulation mechanisms
(particularly for MSCs), graft survival enhancement, and stem cell differentiation potential. The top-cited works predominantly focused on MSC applications for reducing graft rejection.
Conclusion: These findings provide valuable insights into the evolution of cell therapy research in kidney transplantation, demonstrating a growing scientific interest with clear translational potential. The identification of key contributors, collaborative networks, and research hotspots offers guidance for future investigations, particularly in
understudied areas such as PRP applications and the development of standardized clinical protocols. This analysis
serves as both a reference map of historical progress and a roadmap for future research directions in this promising
therapeutic domain.
Keywords
Kidney transplantation; Cell therapy; Platelet-rich plasma; Mesenchymal stromal/stem Cells; Hematopoietic stem cells
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PDFDOI: https://doi.org/10.61882/ijotm.2024.15.1151
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pISSN: 2008-6482
eISSN: 2008-6490
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License