Axonal guidance using biofunctionalized silk fibroin fibers manufactured using the SFS technique

After an injury, the central nervous system's limited regenerative capacity severely hampers the reconnection and functional recovery of affected nervous tissue, making it an arduous task. To address this critical issue, biomaterials have emerged as a promising solution for designing scaffolds that facilitate and guide the regenerative process. Leveraging prior research on regenerated silk fibroin fibers produced via the straining flow spinning (SFS) technique, this study aims to demonstrate that biofunctionalized SFS fibers offer superior guidance capabilities compared to non- functionalized fibers. The study reveals that neurons' axons exhibit a remarkable tendency to align with the fibers' paths, in contrast to the isotropic growth observed on conventional culture plates. Additionally, the guidance ability of these fibers can be further enhanced through the biofunctionalization of the material with adhesion peptides. Proving the exceptional guidance potential of these fibers opens up exciting possibilities for their application as implants in spinal cord injuries. They could serve as a core component of a therapeutic approach that facilitates the reconnection of injured spinal cord ends, holding promise for significantly improving treatment outcomes in such cases.