Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, People's Republic of China.
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China.
Biomed Mater. 2024 Apr 30;19(3). doi: 10.1088/1748-605X/ad4079.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating neurological disorder, leading to loss of motor or somatosensory function, which is the most challenging worldwide medical problem. Re-establishment of intact neural circuits is the basis of spinal cord regeneration. Considering the crucial role of electrical signals in the nervous system, electroactive bioscaffolds have been widely developed for SCI repair. They can produce conductive pathways and a pro-regenerative microenvironment at the lesion site similar to that of the natural spinal cord, leading to neuronal regeneration and axonal growth, and functionally reactivating the damaged neural circuits. In this review, we first demonstrate the pathophysiological characteristics induced by SCI. Then, the crucial role of electrical signals in SCI repair is introduced. Based on a comprehensive analysis of these characteristics, recent advances in the electroactive bioscaffolds for SCI repair are summarized, focusing on both the conductive bioscaffolds and piezoelectric bioscaffolds, used independently or in combination with external electronic stimulation. Finally, thoughts on challenges and opportunities that may shape the future of bioscaffolds in SCI repair are concluded.
脊髓损伤 (SCI) 是一种破坏性的神经疾病，导致运动或感觉功能丧失，是全球最具挑战性的医学问题。完整神经回路的重建是脊髓再生的基础。考虑到电信号在神经系统中的关键作用，电活性生物支架已被广泛开发用于 SCI 修复。它们可以在损伤部位产生类似于天然脊髓的导电途径和促再生微环境，从而促进神经元再生和轴突生长，并使受损的神经回路恢复功能。在这篇综述中，我们首先展示了 SCI 引起的病理生理学特征。然后，介绍了电信号在 SCI 修复中的关键作用。基于对这些特征的综合分析，总结了用于 SCI 修复的电活性生物支架的最新进展，重点介绍了独立使用或与外部电子刺激联合使用的导电生物支架和压电生物支架。最后，对可能影响生物支架在 SCI 修复中未来发展的挑战和机遇进行了思考。
