Injectable, Magnetically Orienting Electrospun Fiber Conduits for Neuron Guidance

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2019 · DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b18344 · Published: January 9, 2019

Simple Explanation

This study introduces a new method for guiding neuron growth using magnetic electrospun fibers. These fibers can be injected into the body and then positioned with magnets. The aligned fibers provide a path for neurons to grow along, improving both the direction and length of their growth. The fibers are made of a biocompatible material and contain iron oxide nanoparticles to make them magnetic. The fibers are injected within a hydrogel, which acts as a scaffold to support the neurons and fibers. The magnetic fibers/hydrogel system is a step toward creating injectable aligned topography that can fill a nonuniform injury site with guidance channels using minimally invasive techniques.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Primary rat neurons, Sprague Dawley Rat pups

Evidence Level

In vitro study

Key Findings

1
Increasing the concentration of SPIONs (superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles) up to 6% by weight in PLLA (poly-L-lactic acid) fibers increases fiber magnetization without significantly altering fiber diameter, alignment, or density.
2
SPION-containing fibers induced approximately 30% longer neurite extension than that from SPION-free controls, potentially due to the presence of oleic acid on the SPIONs.
3
Small injectable conduits of prealigned 6% SPION fibers can be oriented within 1 second in viscous solutions, providing internal directional guidance cues to primary DRG explants and significantly improving neurite direction and length.

Research Summary

The study aimed to increase the versatility of aligned electrospun fiber guidance conduits by making the fibers magnetically responsive. Packaging fibers into small conduits helps maintain fiber alignment and improves conduit orientation rates in viscous hydrogel solutions. The magnetic fiber/hydrogel system is a step toward creating injectable aligned topography that can fill a nonuniform injury site with guidance channels using minimally invasive techniques.

Practical Implications

Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

The magnetic electrospun fiber/hydrogel system is a potential minimally invasive technique to provide guidance to cells within an injectable hydrogel for spinal cord injuries.

Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

The use of collagen scaffolds and fibrin scaffolds, combined with magnetic fiber orientation, shows promise for improving peripheral nerve regeneration.

Drug Delivery

Electrospun fibers can be modified to deliver drugs or gene therapy to the local regenerating tissue environment.

Study Limitations

1
The study is limited to in vitro experiments and requires further in vivo validation.
2
The magnetic field strength used in the study may not be sufficient to align the collagen fibrils in the hydrogel.
3
The exact mechanism by which oleic acid-coated SPIONs increase neurite outgrowth is not fully understood.

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