Recent studies indicate that nerve stem cells (NSC) plays a role in the pathophysiological process of cerebral ischemia which could activate the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous NSC. Scalp-acupuncture therapy has a good effect in the treatment of ischemic stroke, hence, we presume that there exists a possibility that endogenous NSC may contribute to the effect of scalp-acupuncture in promoting the repair and remodeling of the injured ischemic cerebral tissue. Thus, in the present paper, the authors review development of researches on NSC both at home and abroad from clinical therapeutic effect and experimental research, and discuss the possible role or significance of NSC in the treatment of ischemic cerebral stroke with scalp-acupuncture therapy, so as to reveal the regulative mechanism of scalp-acupuncture on endogenous NSC and to make a better use of scalp-acupuncture therapy in accelerating the proliferation and differentiation of NSO, and to lay a solid theoretical foundation for future clinical application.