Innovative nanotechnology tools for the functional control and tracking of human stem cells

The precise control of stem cell behavior, including differentiation, transdifferentiation, and reprogramming, is fundamental for safely and efficiently using human stem cells in regenerative medicine. Thanks to recent innovations and developments in the field of nanomedicine, as well as its integration with advanced molecular biology approaches, the possibility of engineering and restoring functions of complex tissues become reality. Multifunctional nanotechnological tools allow to finely control the release of growth factors, mRNA, and other molecules, to promote cell fate conversion, and to perform long-term tracking in vivo. Furthermore, stimulation approaches based on smart and biocompatible nanotransducers promise to remotely modulate the stem cell activity, paving the way for the actual exploitation of these technologies in the internal tissues of large-sized animals. In this review, the most innovative nanotechnology tools applied to stem cell-based regenerative medicine are presented, and their implications for future research and clinics are discussed.