Exogenous electrical stimulation combined with electroactive nanopatches promotes cutaneous nerve regeneration and...

High-quality skin wound healing requires rapid closure, complete re-epithelialization, orderly collagen remodeling, minimal scarring, and restoration of local sensory function. Substantial evidence confirms that peripheral nerve regeneration in the skin is not a passive concomitant of repair, but a critical foundation for functional tissue regeneration. However, effective combinatorial strategies to synchronously promote nerve regeneration and wound healing via a personalized electroactive microenvironment remain an unmet clinical need, driving the development of targeted electroactive biomaterials. In this study, an electroactive polycaprolactone/carbon nanotube (PCL/CNT) nanopatch was fabricated by electrospinning. Its microstructure and electroactivity were characterized, and the biosafety and efficacy of the patch combined with exogenous electrical stimulation (ES) were evaluated. In vitro, PC12 cell proliferation, neurite outgrowth, and neural marker expression were quantified. In vivo efficacy and biosafety were assessed in a Sprague-Dawley rat full-thickness skin defect model. Compared with PCL, the PCL/CNT nanopatch exhibited uniformly aligned fibers and significantly enhanced conductivity. PCL/CNT + ES enhanced PC12 cell viability, promoted neurite outgrowth, and upregulated neural markers in vitro. In vivo, this group showed accelerated re-epithelialization, thicker granulation tissue, more organized collagen deposition, and elevated density of NF200-positive nerve fibers compared with the control, pure PCL, and PCL/CNT groups. No visceral abnormalities were detected, confirming biosafety. The "topography guidance + electrical stimulation" strategy exerted a synergistic effect on skin wound healing by enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration, coordinating tissue repair, and improving healing quality. This study presents a promising therapeutic approach for high-quality wound healing and supports the rational design of electroactive biomaterials targeting synchronous nerve regeneration and wound repair.