Bioinspired Self‐Curling Conduit Integrates Topography and Bioelectronics for Functional Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

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Authors: Di Liu, Wenchao Guan, Xueling Wu, Jingxian Gao, GuiCai Li, Lu Han
Cited by: 1
References: 64

Abstract

ABSTRACT Peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) lead to persistent functional deficits due to inefficient axonal regeneration across critical gaps. Inspired by the mechanoresponsive self‐curling of sea anemone tentacles, we develop a bioinspired, self‐curling conductive conduit (G‐PPASA conduit) that autonomously conforms to native nerve geometry while delivering coordinated topographical and bioelectronic cues for PNI repair. Our fabrication strategy leverages sequential deposition of polydopamine (PDA) and polypyrrole (PPy) on a microgrooved agarose‐based film to induce stress‐driven 2D‐to‐3D transformation, creating longitudinally aligned tubular nerve structures. The resulting G‐PPASA conduit features aligned micropatterns to direct axonal elongation, PDA‐mediated bioadhesion for enhanced cell‐matrix interactions, and PPy‐derived conductivity for external electrical stimulation. Importantly, the dynamic catechol redox system between PPy and PDA confers potent antioxidative and immunomodulatory capabilities, actively reshaping the inflammatory microenvironment after injury. In rat sciatic nerve injury models, the combination of G‐PPASA conduit and controlled electrical stimulation significantly accelerated axonal regeneration, promoted robust remyelination, and achieved complete functional recovery within eight weeks. This self‐assembling system eliminates cumbersome manual shaping while providing a clinically viable platform that synchronizes essential physical and biological cues for nerve repair. Beyond PNI, our biomimetic stress‐driven assembly approach offers a versatile paradigm for engineering other functional tubular tissue constructs.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Nerve injury and regeneration Silk-based biomaterials and applications Supramolecular Self-Assembly in Materials

Publication details

Journal / source
Advanced Functional Materials
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
36
Issue
35
Publication date
24 January 2026
Language
EN