Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Strategies: Electrically Stimulating Polymer Based Nerve Growth Conduits.
Treatment of large peripheral nerve damages ranges from the use of an autologous nerve graft to a synthetic nerve growth conduit. Biological grafts, in spite of many merits, show several limitations in terms of availability and donor site morbidity, and outcomes are suboptimal due to fascicle mismatch, scarring, and fibrosis. Tissue engineered nerve graft substitutes utilize polymeric conduits in conjunction with cues both chemical and physical, cells alone and or in combination. The chemical and physical cues delivered through polymeric conduits play an important role and drive tissue regeneration. Electrical stimulation (ES) has been applied toward the repair and regeneration of various tissues such as muscle, tendon, nerve, and articular tissue both in laboratory and clinical settings. The underlying mechanisms that regulate cellular activities such as cell adhesion, proliferation, cell migration, protein production, and tissue regeneration following ES is not fully understood. Polymeric constructs that can carry the electrical stimulation along the length of the scaffold have been developed and characterized for possible nerve regeneration applications. We discuss the use of electrically conductive polymers and associated cell interaction, biocompatibility, tissue regeneration, and recent basic research for nerve regeneration. In conclusion, a multifunctional combinatorial device comprised of biomaterial, structural, functional, cellular, and molecular aspects may be the best way forward for effective peripheral nerve regeneration.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UConn Health, Farmington, CT; Institute for Regenerative Engineering, UConn Health, Farmington, CT; Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center for Biomedical, Biological, Physical and Engineering Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT.
Matthew
M
Anderson
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UConn Health, Farmington, CT; Institute for Regenerative Engineering, UConn Health, Farmington, CT; Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center for Biomedical, Biological, Physical and Engineering Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT.
Namdev B
NB
Shelke
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT.
Ohan S
OS
Manoukian
Department of Chemistry, Chemical Biology and Biomedical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ.
Xiaojun
X
Yu
Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, Farmington, CT.
Louise D
LD
McCullough
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UConn Health, Farmington, CT; Institute for Regenerative Engineering, UConn Health, Farmington, CT; Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center for Biomedical, Biological, Physical and Engineering Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT.
Sangamesh G
SG
Kumbar
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology*; D011108:Polymers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023822:Tissue Engineering
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011108:Polymers