Stem Cell-Based Stroke Treatment

Self-renewable and differentiable cells or stem cells are high-potential cells for the repair of tissue damages. Therefore, this is a promising approach to treat brain tissue damage following neurological disorders, such as stroke. Animal studies have shown the beneficial effects of various stem cells, including embryonic stem cells, inducible pluripotent stem cells, neural stem cells, and mesenchymal stem cells, in stroke recovery. The healing process may be due to replacement of damaged cells, neuroprotective effects, endogenous neurogenesis, angiogenesis, modulation of inflammation, and immune responses. Currently, stem cell-based methods have attracted the attention of many scientists and practitioners due to their curative effect on stroke.

Although numerous clinical studies indicate that stem cells have high efficacy and safety in stroke treatment, some key issues should be considered. The positioning of these cells, survival, traceability, immunity, and cell transplantation protocols, such as the rate of usage and timing, are the challenges in stem cell-based treatment. Although the stem cell therapy is a potential new approach for treatment of stroke, further studies are still needed to improve the efficacy of this therapeutic method. This review article is a summary of current knowledge and concerns of the use of stem cells in post-stroke healing.