The Role of Biomaterials in Peripheral Nerve and Spinal Cord Injury: A Review

Peripheral nerve and spinal cord injuries can have devastating consequences, often leading to permanent disabilities. Current treatments for severe cases are limited, highlighting the need for innovative solutions. Biomaterials offer a promising avenue for promoting nerve regeneration by acting as scaffolds that mimic the natural support structure of nerve tissue. These scaffolds can also deliver therapeutic agents directly to the injury site, enhancing the healing process. This review explores the principles and recent progress in utilizing biomaterials to encourage axon regrowth and repair within the nervous system, offering hope for improved treatments for nerve injuries.

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  Biomaterials can be engineered to mimic the extracellular matrix of nerve tissue, providing a scaffold for axonal regeneration and facilitating the delivery of therapeutic agents to the injury site.
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  Surface modification of synthetic biomaterials with ECM proteins or cell-adhesive peptides enhances their bioactivity, promoting cell attachment and reducing immunological responses.
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  Topographical cues, such as microchannels and microfibers in scaffolds, can guide axonal regeneration in a linear and aligned manner, improving the quantity and directionality of regenerating axons.