Scaffolds with anisotropic structure for neural tissue engineering

Abstract

Nervous system injuries remain a great challenge due to limited natural tissue regeneration capabilities. Neural tissue engineering has been regarded as a promising approach for repairing nerve defects, which utilizes external biomaterial scaffolds to allow cells to migrate to the injury site and repair the tissue. Particularly, scaffolds with anisotropic structures biomimicking the native extracellular matrix (ECM) can effectively guide neural orientation and reconnection. Here, the advancements of scaffolds with anisotropic structures in the field of neural tissue engineering are presented. The fabrication strategies of scaffolds with anisotropic structures and their effects in vitro and in vivo are highlighted. We also discuss the challenges and provide a perspective of this field.