Strategies for Effective Neural Circuit Reconstruction After Spinal Cord Injury: Use of Stem Cells and Biomaterials

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious disease of the central nervous system, often with irreversible loss of motor or sensory functions. Failure of axon connection and inhibition of the microenvironment after SCI severely hinder the regeneration of damaged tissue and neuron function. Therefore, a new perspective in the treatment of SCI is reconstruction of the neural circuit. Stem cells are a type of cells with differentiation potential. They reconstruct local circulation by differentiating into neurons to replace damaged cells. They also can secrete various factors to regulate the host microenvironment and play a therapeutic role. Biomaterials can fill the cavity at the site of SCI, load therapeutic drugs, provide adsorption sites for transplanted cells, and play a bridging role. In this review, the therapeutic role of stem cells and biomaterials is discussed, together with their properties, advantages, limitations, and future perspectives, providing a reference for basic and clinical research on SCI treatment.