Biomaterials-driven stem cell therapy for tissue repair and functional rehabilitation after ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke is a serious cerebrovascular disease with limited effective treatments. While stem cell therapy shows promise, ensuring cell survival and integration into neural networks remains a challenge. Recent research shows tissue engineering can greatly fix these flaws. Notably, we focus on the structure–activity relationship of biomaterials. How cell behavior can be most beneficially regulated by changes in the physical structure of the cell carrier itself is certainly a new perspective for cost saving and effectiveness increasing compared to the delivery of expensive biotrophic factors. However, there is a lack of research on biomaterials applied to ischemic stroke, especially in combination with stem cells. No biomaterial has even been approved for clinical trials in stroke. We provide a systematic summary of biomaterials-driven stem cell therapy for ischemic stroke in terms of pathomechanisms, applications, and clinical translational challenges; we attempt to build a bridge from laboratory research to clinical translation in stroke treatment.