Advancing Stem Cell Imaging with Nanotechnology: A Systematic Review of In Vitro and In Vivo studies

Background: Stem cells hold immense potential for the treatment of various injuries and diseases. However, before realizing their therapeutic application, several challenges, including the need for advanced techniques to understand and control stem cell behavior, and novel methods to track and guide these cells, must be addressed. Nanotechnology has shown significant promise in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, particularly for in vivo molecular imaging. This systematic review aims to compile and analyze the existing literature on the influence of nanotechnology on stem cell imaging .Methods: Comprehensive searches of international databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science were performed to identify relevant articles on the application of nanotechnology in stem cell imaging up to March ۲۰۲۳. Screening, selection, and data extraction were conducted, followed by a quality assessment based on the STROBE checklist .Results: A total of ۶۳۳۲ articles were initially identified, out of which ۴۰ articles in vitro and ۱۱۲ articles in vivo were deemed eligible for inclusion. The majority of in vitro studies (۳۸) utilized nanoparticles, while one each used nanoplates and nanolayers and one study reported the negative impact of nanomaterials on cell viability. All of the in vivo studies (۱۱۲) used nanoparticles .Conclusion: Stem cell imaging plays a pivotal role in regenerative medicine. Nanomaterials (NMs) with various properties, especially those exhibiting efficient cell-labeling, contrast enhancement, and minimal cytotoxicity, hold great potential for cell tracking. These findings offer novel insights into cell labeling and tracking or imaging techniques using nanotechnology, paving the way for advancements in stem cell research