18 - Advances in the use of electrospun fibers for the central nervous system

Abstract

Electrospun fibers are commonly used for tissue engineering purposes. The topography of nano- and microfibrous scaffolds enables cells to attach and migrate by providing a network that is similar to the extracellular matrix (ECM). The use of aligned electrospun fiber scaffolds is particularly relevant in spinal cord injury (SCI), where directed uniaxial axonal extension is required for regeneration. In this chapter, we review SCI pathophysiology and discuss the applications of electrospun fibers for SCI. We highlight state-of-the-art fibers for SCI and their use in cell and animal SCI models. While experimental approaches utilizing electrospun fibers in the central nervous system (CNS) focus on SCI, we also explore the potential use of electrospun fibers within traumatic brain injury (TBI).