Smart surface-based cell sheet engineering for regenerative medicine

Cell sheet engineering (CSE) has emerged as a novel strategy promising for cellular therapies and scaffold-free tissue engineering. In contrast to conventional cell-based or scaffold-based approaches, CSE has drawn increasing interest as a competitive alternative due to its inherent advantages of higher cell survival rate and biocompatibility. This review highlights the fundamental principles of cell sheet biology in the regulation of cellular adhesion and detachment behavior, and outlines general strategies for controllable harvesting and transfer of cell sheets based on advanced materials and surfaces responsive to various chemical, physical, and biological stimuli. Moreover, we offer an overview of recent key advances in the preparation and applications of versatile cell sheets for tissue regeneration and repair. We conclude by offering our perspective on open challenges and future developments in this rapidly evolving field.