Abstract: Sepsis is a life-threatening acute organ dysfunction syndrome caused by a dys-regulated host response to infection. As a regenerative medicine therapy with broad clinical prospects, stem cells have attracted significant attention due to their multifaceted biological capabilities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic effects, as well as immunomodulatory properties and tissue/organ repair potential. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) function through mechanisms such as modulating macrophage polarization and suppressing excessive inflammation responses, thereby promoting tissue regeneration. Pre-clinical studies demonstrate that MSCs significantly reduce sepsis mortality and decrease sepsis-associated complications including acute kidney injury (AKI), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and sepsis associated myopathy. Furthermore, perinatal-derived stem cells and genetically modified stem cells have shown therapeutic promise in sepsis management. Current challenges in stem cell-based sepsis therapy cover optimizing delivery strategies, standardizing cell preparation protocols and developing biomarker-guided personalized therapeutic regimens.

Key words: sepsis, stem-cell, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute kidney injury, sepsis associated myopathy