Bibliometric analysis based on the web of science database: advances and research trends in the application of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in bone repair.

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is a multifactorial degenerative joint disease characterized by articular cartilage destruction, synovitis, subchondral sclerosis or cystic degeneration, marginal osteophytes, and formation of bony encumbrances, with cartilage damage representing a common pathological process; Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (UMSCs) have been widely investigated for bone repair and regeneration due to their differentiation into osteoblasts and chondrocytes, yet there remains a need for bibliometric analyses of literature on the role of UMSCs in bone repair. We conducted a bibliometric analysis of 411 articles indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection from inception to 31 July 2024, employing bibliometric tools including VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and Bibliometrics to assess publication trends, country and institutional contributions, authorship, journals, and keyword clustering, with descriptive statistics applied to quantify publication counts and average citations. The overall publication trend in this field is increasing, with China contributing the largest number of publications (n = 134) and an average citation of 29.30; the most prolific author is Guo from the Chinese PLA General Hospital (15 publications, avg. cit. 49.27), followed by Ha (Samsung Medical Center/Sungkyunkwan University) and Park (Samsung Medical Center/Sungkyunkwan University); Stem Cells International is the leading journal with 19 articles and an average citation of 38.47; keyword clustering revealed eight major themes: high tibial osteotomy, regenerative medicine, xenogeneic approaches, osteogenic differentiation, scaffold, expression, mechanical properties, proteomics, and autologous chondrocyte implantation, indicating the principal research directions and interrelationships in UMSC-related bone repair. This bibliometric analysis delineates the productive landscape and dominant themes in UMSC research for bone repair within osteoarthritis, highlighting China as a major contributor, key institutions and authors, and the central role of regenerative strategies, scaffolds, and differentiation processes; the identified hotspots and cluster structure offer guidance for future investigators to target gaps, refine research questions, and design studies advancing UMSC applications in bone repair and osteoarthritis treatment.