Ischemic stroke is a disease with high morbidity, disability and mortality. At present, there is no effective rehabilitation therapy for ischemic stroke. Neural stem cell (NSC) has great potential in the treatment of ischemic stroke. With the progress in stem cell preparation technology and the development of many animal experiments, the research of NSC has gradually moved from laboratory experiment to clinical application. In 2016, the first clinical trial of human-derived NSC in the treatment of ischemic stroke was published. This article elaborates the treatment mechanism, clinical cell preparation, preclinical research and clinical research of NSC in detail. By reviewing the current research of NSC in treating ischemic stroke, it can provide references for more clinical research of NSC in treating ischemic stroke in the future.