| The nervous system, which consists of a complex network of millions of neurons, is one of the most
highly intricate systems in the body. This complex network
is responsible for the physiological and cognitive functions
of the human body. Following injuries or degenerative
diseases, damage to the nervous system is overwhelming
because of its complexity and its limited regeneration capacity. However, neural tissue engineering currently has
some capacities for repairing nerve deficits and promoting
neural regeneration, with more developments in the future.
Nevertheless, controlling the guidance of stem cell proliferation and differentiation is a challenging step towards
this goal. Nanomaterials have the potential for the guidance of the stem cells towards the neural lineage which can
overcome the pitfalls of the classical methods since they
provide a unique microenvironment that facilitates cell–
matrix and cell–cell interaction, and they can manipulate
the cell signaling mechanisms to control stem cells’ fate. In
this article, the suitable cell sources and microenvironment
cues for neuronal tissue engineering were examined. Afterward, the nanomaterials that impact stem cell proliferation and differentiation towards neuronal lineage were
reviewed. |