Porous Polymeric Materials for Cell Delivery and Regenerative Therapy: Design Principles, AI-Assisted Optimization,...

Cell therapy is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of 21st-century medical innovation, but its success heavily relies on the effective delivery of therapeutic cells to the target site while maintaining their viability and functionality. Traditional intravenous injection methods are typically limited by poor targeting and reduced cell survival rates due to mechanical stress during injection. Recent advancements have introduced alternative delivery vehicles, such as microspheres (MSs), microneedles (MNs), and scaffolds, to enhance targeting and efficacy. Among these, porous polymeric materials, known for their biomimetic properties and biocompatibility, are particularly promising as cell carriers. Given these motivations, this review provides an overview of recent advances in porous polymeric materials for cell therapy, highlighting how their structural design influences cell function and the structure-activity relationship. It also explores the transition from laboratory research to real-world applications, highlighting the critical role of automated manufacturing in bridging the gap between experimental findings and clinical use. Finally, current clinical applications, associated challenges, and future perspectives in this field are discussed.