CXCL12 and diabetes mellitus: The number of SDF-1 postive stromal cells in the dermis was higher in DM patients when compared to the control subjects (2.2±0.7 vs 1.7±0.6, p<0.05) while no differences were observed in endothelial cells (2.3±0.6 vs 2.0 ± 1.0, p=NS).