Strategic Design and Recent Fabrication Techniques for Bioengineered Tissue Scaffolds to Improve Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

Bioengineered tissue scaffolds are a potential tool for improving regenerative repair of damaged peripheral nerves. Novel modes of fabrication coupled with scaffold design strategies that are based on an understanding of the biology of nerve injury offer the prospect of intervention at a more sophisticated level. We review the etiology and incidence of peripheral nerve injury and the biological events that unfold during nerve regeneration after an injury. Newly available tissue scaffold fabrication technologies using bioplotting and laser-based techniques are described. Scaffold design strategies are also discussed, including the incorporation of living cells during scaffold fabrication, inclusion of neurotrophic gradients, use of electric stimulation, inclusion of antioxidant compounds to counteract neural apotosis, and promotion of angiogenesis. Use of these advanced fabrication techniques and incorporation of one or more of these active biological strategies may eventually lead to a greater success in peripheral nerve tissue engineering.