Stem cell-assisted aligned electrospun nanofiber scaffold for tissue engineering: development to application

Human tissues and organs exhibit limited regenerative capacity; thus, tissue engineering (TE) and regenerative medicine aim to repair damaged tissues and restore their function. TE achieves in situ tissue regeneration through the integration of cells, biomaterial scaffolds, and signaling molecules. Electrospun nanofibers serve as ideal TE scaffolds due to their large surface area and porosity. Aligned electrospun fiber (AESF) scaffolds are used as stem cell carriers for tissue reconstruction because of their extracellular matrix mimetic structures of anisotropic tissues, such as nerves and tendons. Stem cells are the preferred seed cells for TE due to their multidirectional differentiation, microenvironmental regulation, and paracrine cytokine production abilities. This review outlines the aligned electrospinning principles, parameters, strategies, and material selection for stem cell-assisted AESF scaffolds. Following, the types of stem cells, strategies for incorporating stem cells into scaffolds, and the mechanisms by which AESFs regulate stem cell behavior are briefly described. Finally, applications of stem cell-assisted AESF scaffolds in TE are explored. The review concludes by emerging applications of stem cell-assisted AESF scaffolds in TE, discussing current limitations, and potential future directions.