Abstract
Stem cell transplantation has been recognized as a promising strategy to induce the regeneration of injured and diseased tissues and sustain therapeutic molecules for prolonged periods in vivo. However, stem cell-based therapy is often ineffective due to low survival, poor engraftment, and a lack of site-specificity. Hydrogels can offer several advantages as cell delivery vehicles, including cell stabilization and the provision of tissue-like environments with specific cellular signals; however, the administration of bulk hydrogels is still not appropriate to obtain safe and effective outcomes. Hence, stem cell encapsulation in uniform micro-sized hydrogels and their transplantation in vivo have recently garnered great attention for minimally invasive administration and the enhancement of therapeutic activities of the transplanted stem cells. Several important methods for stem cell microencapsulation are described in this review. In addition, various natural and synthetic polymers, which have been employed for the microencapsulation of stem cells, are reviewed in this article.
Highlights
Stem cell transplantation has been recognized as a promising strategy to induce the regeneration of injured and diseased tissues and sustain therapeutic molecules for prolonged periods in vivo
Stem cells, which possess self-renewal ability and the potential to differentiate into multiple lineages, include pluripotent stem cells (embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells), and multipotent stem cells (fetal stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and adult stem cells) [5,6,7]
Hydrogels, which provide tissue-like environments, have beensites extensively studied as delivery vehicles forcan stem cells. tissue-like
Summary
Stem cell-based therapy has recently offered new opportunities in clinical applications for conditions that are not effectively cured by conventional chemotherapy. The sustainable release of therapeutic molecules from transplanted stem cells has been recognized as an important strategy to effectively surrounding cells and suppress fibrosis and inflammation [8,9,10]. One of the reasons for this above, is that the transplanted considerablein potentials of a stem-based therapy described its therapeutic stem cells lose significant viability post transplantation. The reasons for this is that the tissues transplanted unfavorable environments for cell growth, such as reactive oxygen species and the host’s immune stem cells lose significant viability post transplantation [11,12,13]. Hydrogels, which provide tissue-like environments, have beensites extensively studied as delivery vehicles forcan stem cells.
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