Current Micropatterning, Microfluidics and Nerve Guidance Conduit for Nerve Regeneration and Future Recommendations
Biomaterials Research (2011) 15(4) : 159-167 Biomaterials Research C The Korean Society for Biomaterials Current Micropatterning, Microfluidics and Nerve Guidance Conduit for Nerve Regeneration and Future Recommendations MinJung Song* Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (Received October 26, 2011/Acccepted November 7, 2011) Each year, approximately 200,000 patients suffer from peripheral nerve injuries, resulting in tremendous medical 1) expense in the United States. The peripheral nerves are damaged by injury, disease, trauma, or other medical dis- orders. After the injury, peripheral nerves can regenerate, but when the injury is too severe, nerves degenerate and lose functionality. This review focuses on improving peripheral nerve regeneration with microfabrication techniques and biomaterials. In this review, several concepts will be introducing relating to the peripheral nervous system, microfabrication techniques (e.g., micropatterning and microfluidics) and biomaterials (e.g., drug-containing polymer) to improve nerve regeneration in the cellular and tissue levels. Key words: peripheral nerve regeneration, micropatterns, microfluidics, gradient, polyNSAID Peripheral Nervous System ous roles to support neurons. First, they produce biomolecules such as laminin, cell adhesion molecules, integrins, and neu- he nervous system is a communicating network to inte- rotrophins, which give growth signals to provide guidance for T grate and monitor the actions throughout the body. This regenerating axons and control cellular differentiation and sur- system is classified as the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and vival. Second, Schwann cells are involved in removing cell 7-11) central nervous system (CNS). The PNS senses a variety of debris after nerve injury. environmental reactions with sensory neurons and transmits the Several nerve fibers constitute a single nerve, and each nerve information to the CNS.
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