Engineering a Biomimetic Poly(l-lactic acid) Nerve Conduit with Dual-Scale Aligned Topography toward Bridging...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Biodegradable nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) show promise for peripheral nerve repair but often fail due to structural and functional mismatches.
• Existing NGCs struggle with inadequate neuronal guidance and improper axon dispersion, hindering effective regeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a biomimetic NGC that replicates the multiscale architecture of native nerves for improved peripheral nerve repair.
• To investigate a novel fabrication technique for creating aligned microchannels and nanotextured walls in biodegradable polymers.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) NGCs using an integrated forming technique exploiting strain-induced crystallization.
• Creation of aligned microchannels and nanotextured walls to mimic native nerve topology.
• In vitro evaluation of thermal stability, mechanical robustness, and structural integrity of the PLLA NGCs.

Main Results:

• The biomimetic NGC successfully replicated the multiscale architecture of native nerves.
• The PLLA NGCs exhibited excellent thermal stability, mechanical robustness, and structural integrity.
• Synergistic micro- and nanoscale alignment critically directed axon growth and minimized dispersion.

Conclusions:

• The novel biomimetic NGC platform, with its dual-scale bioinspired architecture, offers a promising solution for large-gap peripheral nerve repair.
• The fabrication mechanism provides a new method for creating advanced NGCs with enhanced regenerative capabilities.