Cells Tissues Organs, 2016 · DOI: 10.1159/000446621 · Published: January 1, 2016
Spinal cord injuries (SCI) lack a cure, with current treatments showing limited functional recovery. Biomaterials, especially electrospun fibers, are being explored to guide nerve regeneration and deliver drugs to the injury site. The study investigates how incorporating riluzole or neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) affects the physical properties of electrospun fibers made from poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA). The experiment showed that both drugs were successfully incorporated into the fibers. However, the inclusion of the drugs altered the fibers' physical characteristics. Specifically, fiber diameter decreased with the inclusion of the drug, and the decreased diameter was correlated with a decrease in fiber alignment. These changes in fiber properties are important because they can affect how cells and axons respond to the scaffold, potentially impacting the success of nerve regeneration. The authors discuss considerations for incorporating therapeutic drugs without changing the physical properties of the fibers.
Researchers need to carefully optimize drug-eluting scaffolds to maintain desired fiber characteristics for effective nerve regeneration.
Fiber diameter and alignment can be tailored to influence cellular responses, which is crucial for promoting axonal regeneration.
The choice of drug (small molecule vs. large molecule) and its concentration have different effects on fiber morphology, requiring careful consideration.