Department of Orthopedic Surgery, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, People's Republic of China.
Int J Nanomedicine. 2023 Dec 6;18:7305-7333. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S436111. eCollection 2023.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) treatment represents a major challenge in clinical practice. In recent years, the rapid development of neural tissue engineering technology has provided a new therapeutic approach for spinal cord injury repair. Implanting functionalized electroconductive hydrogels (ECH) in the injury area has been shown to promote axonal regeneration and facilitate the generation of neuronal circuits by reshaping the microenvironment of SCI. ECH not only facilitate intercellular electrical signaling but, when combined with electrical stimulation, enable the transmission of electrical signals to electroactive tissue and activate bioelectric signaling pathways, thereby promoting neural tissue repair. Therefore, the implantation of ECH into damaged tissues can effectively restore physiological functions related to electrical conduction. This article focuses on the dynamic pathophysiological changes in the SCI microenvironment and discusses the mechanisms of electrical stimulation/signal in the process of SCI repair. By examining electrical activity during nerve repair, we provide insights into the mechanisms behind electrical stimulation and signaling during SCI repair. We classify conductive biomaterials, and offer an overview of the current applications and research progress of conductive hydrogels in spinal cord repair and regeneration, aiming to provide a reference for future explorations and developments in spinal cord regeneration strategies.
脊髓损伤 (SCI) 的治疗是临床实践中的一个重大挑战。近年来,神经组织工程技术的快速发展为脊髓损伤修复提供了新的治疗方法。在损伤区域植入功能化导电水凝胶 (ECH) 已被证明可以通过重塑 SCI 的微环境来促进轴突再生和促进神经元回路的产生。ECH 不仅促进细胞间的电信号传递,而且与电刺激结合使用时,还可以将电信号传输到电活性组织并激活生物电信号通路,从而促进神经组织修复。因此,将 ECH 植入受损组织可以有效地恢复与电传导相关的生理功能。本文重点讨论了 SCI 微环境中的动态病理生理变化,并讨论了电刺激/信号在 SCI 修复过程中的作用机制。通过检查神经修复过程中的电活动,我们深入了解了 SCI 修复过程中电刺激和信号的机制。我们对导电生物材料进行分类,并概述了导电水凝胶在脊髓修复和再生中的当前应用和研究进展,旨在为脊髓再生策略的未来探索和发展提供参考。