Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability in China and the second in the world. A large number of neurons died after ischemic stroke. Due to the limited regenerative capacity of central nervous system, severely restricted neuronal regeneration leads to permanent functional impairment. Therefore, the key to the restoration of ischemic stroke is the regeneration of functional neurons through various strategies. Endogenous neural stem cells are present in the adult central nervous system throughout life and are capable of continuously generating new neurons. This is the intrinsic basis for using endogenous neural stem cells to repair ischemic stroke. Focusing on neuronal regeneration, this review summarizes the changes of endogenous neurogenesis after ischemic stroke. In particular, this review discusses new strategies for the treatment of ischemic stroke by enhancing endogenous repair mechanisms, which provides a theoretical basis for targeting endogenous neurogenesis for the treatment of ischemic stroke.