Peripheral nerve injury results in sensory and motor dysfunction, which is an enormous economic burden for patients and society. Complete recovery of peripheral nerve function after injury is complicated. Utilizing the electrophysiological properties of natural nerves for neuronal regulation and axon regeneration has attracted considerable interest. Electroactive biomaterials induce an active state of electrical stimulation (ES) at the site of peripheral nerve injury when incorporated into nerve guidance channels. Numerous studies have demonstrated that combining ES with electroactive biomaterials can enhance peripheral nerve repair. This review summarizes the regulation of signal pathways by ES and the functions of various electroactive biomaterials, including metals, carbon-based materials, conductive polymers, and piezoelectric materials. Recent advances and research of ES combined with electroactive biomaterials in peripheral nerve repair are reviewed, which may help to come up with more effective strategies to restore neural function after PNI.
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Open Access
Review
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Open Access
Research Article
Issue
Bone defect regeneration is a dynamic healing process that relies on the body’s innate repair mechanisms, yet natural healing capacity remains limited. To address this challenge, advanced biomaterials combining bioactive inorganic components with biocompatible polymers have emerged as a promising strategy to enhance osteogenesis and angiogenesis.
In this study, a novel three-dimensional composite scaffold material was successfully fabricated using a combined electrospinning-freeze drying technique. The scaffold incorporates flexible silicon dioxide-strontium oxide (SiO2-SrO) nanofibers as functional components, which are physically blended with a poly(lactic acid)/gelatin (PG) fibrous matrix to achieve composite construction.
The fabricated scaffolds exhibited an optimal well-ordered porous structure, excellent biocompatibility, and sustained release of therapeutic ions (Si4+ and Sr2+). Notably, they significantly upregulated osteogenic gene expression and enhanced angiogenic potential as demonstrated by improved tubulogenesis in HUVEC cultures. In vivo evaluation using a rat calvarial defect model confirmed their superior bone regeneration capability through simultaneous promotion of osteogenesis and angiogenesis.
Leveraging the synergistic effects of SiO2-SrO nanofibers and PG polymers, this study presents a multifunctional scaffold capable of promoting bone regeneration through dual osteogenic and angiogenic stimulation. Our findings highlight the potential of this composite system not only for bone tissue engineering but also for broader biomedical applications.
Open Access
Research Article
Issue
Small-diameter vascular grafts have become the focus of attention in tissue engineering. Thrombosis and aneurysmal dilatation are the two major complications of the loss of vascular access after surgery. Therefore, we focused on fabricating 3D printed electrospun vascular grafts loaded with tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) to overcome these limitations.
Based on electrospinning and 3D printing, 3D-printed electrospun vascular grafts loaded with TMP were fabricated. The inner layer of the graft was composed of electrospun poly(L-lactic-co-caprolactone) (PLCL) nanofibers and the outer layer consisted of 3D printed polycaprolactone (PCL) microfibers. The characterization and mechanical properties were tested. The blood compatibility and in vitro cytocompatibility of the grafts were also evaluated. Additionally, rat abdominal aortas were replaced with these 3D-printed electrospun grafts to evaluate their biosafety.
Mechanical tests demonstrated that the addition of PCL microfibers could improve the mechanical properties. In vitro experimental data proved that the introduction of TMP effectively inhibited platelet adhesion. Afterwards, rat abdominal aorta was replaced with 3D-printed electrospun grafts. The 3D-printed electrospun graft loaded with TMP showed good biocompatibility and mechanical strength within 6 months and maintained substantial patency without the occurrence of acute thrombosis. Moreover, no obvious aneurysmal dilatation was observed.
The study demonstrated that 3D-printed electrospun vascular grafts loaded with TMP may have the potential for injured vascular healing.
Open Access
Review
Issue
Tendon–bone interface injuries, such as rotator cuff tears and anterior cruciate ligament ruptures, remain challenging due to the enthesis’s complex structure and poor healing capacity. Conventional repair often fails to restore the fibrocartilaginous transition, causing mismatched integration and high retear rates. Biomaterial-based scaffolds provide biomechanical support and bioactive regulation, showing great promise for regeneration. Recent advances span natural polymers, synthetic polymers, bioceramics, and composites, with designs evolving from monophasic to multiphasic, gradient-based, and functionalized scaffolds. Emerging strategies emphasize immunomodulation, bio-signal delivery, and physical responsiveness, establishing a structure–signal–function paradigm to guide multi-tissue integration. However, translation faces major barriers, including inadequate animal models, manufacturing and scalability challenges, long-term safety concerns, and regulatory complexity, as well as the need to balance personalization with cost. Future directions point to intelligent biomaterials, AI-driven design, and integrated translational frameworks to bridge preclinical research and clinical application. Overall, advanced scaffold engineering offers transformative potential for functional tendon–bone regeneration, but successful translation will depend on close collaboration among biology, materials science, engineering, and medicine.
Open Access
Communication
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Coaxial electrospinning was developed for simultaneously electrospinning two different polymer solutions into core/shell nanofibers, or encapsulated bioactive molecular and drugs into polymer nanofibers for controlled release. In this study, heparin encapsulated poly(L-lactic acid-co-ε-caprolactone) [P(LLA-CL)] core/shell nanofibers were fabricated in water/2, 2, 2-Trifluoroethanol mixed solvent through coaxial electrospinning. TEM images clearly proved the core/shell structure of nanofibers when the proportion of feeding rates of inner and outer solutions was at 1:3. The morphology of these nanofibers were investigated and discussed from SEM micrographs, and the diameters showed a normal distribution. Furthermore, the fabrics of heparin encapsulated P(LLA-CL) core/shell nanofibers showed a strong inhibit ability on proliferation of fibroblast in cell viability test in vitro.
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