Electrospinning Machine | Wireless Acousto-Piezoelectric Conduit with Aligned Nanofibers for Neural Regeneration

Challenge: Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a major clinical challenge, causing severe motor and sensory dysfunction, and irreversible tissue atrophy. Autografts have been commonly used as the clinical gold standard; however, they are limited by donor availability and the requirement for secondary surgery. 

Method: Academician Sang-Woo Kim and colleagues from Yonsei University, Korea, introduced an ultrasound-responsive, highly aligned piezoelectric nanofiber nerve guidance conduit (APNF-NGC) for peripheral nerve regeneration. The APNF-NGC, made from electrospun poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) nanofibers, has an anisotropically aligned structure with shear piezoelectricity, providing structural support and wireless electrical stimulation. 

Innovation 1: The incorporation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) adjusted the mechanical properties, increased piezoelectric phase crystallinity, and improved surface hydrophilicity, thereby enhancing biocompatibility and acoustic-piezoelectric response. 

Innovation 2: Finite element analysis and electrical evaluation confirmed that ultrasound-activated APNF-NGC generates an axial electric field that promotes directional axon elongation. In vivo studies using an 8-mm sciatic nerve defect rat model showed that APNF-NGC achieved nerve regeneration comparable to autografts, comprehensively validated by behavioral, motor function, and histological assessments. 

https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202503343