Emerging research on nerve repair has consisted of MXenes being used to improve nerve guidance conduits, which would also enhance its subsequent electrical conductivity. This pre-proof research has been submitted in the journal, Additive Manufacturing.
The Need for Advanced Nerve Guidance Conduits
The peripheral nervous system is a little different from the central nervous system in that these nerves have a strong potential for regeneration and this can be through nerve grafting.
Nerve grafting is the gold standard for peripheral nerve injuries that do not have the ability to be bridged through direct epineural suturing.
A nerve guidance conduit can be described as an artificial nerve graft, which is able to guide axonal regrowth for facilitating nerve regeneration, and the use of nerve conduits have been used for decades for the treatment of peripheral nerve injury. The significance of these grafts can be found within the severity of peripheral nerve injuries.
Peripheral nerve injuries are a very significant health problem affecting 2.8% of trauma patients per year and this injury can cause destruction, damage or crushing of the peripheral nerve. This type of disorder can result in changes in sensation, with symptoms such as, decreased sensation that can cause numbness and tingling, as well as burning, shooting, and sharp ‘electrical’ pains.
The peripheral nerve consists of bundles of endoneurium wrapped axons bundled into fascicles that are wrapped in perineurium. The function of Schwann cells provides a myelin sheath that increases the conduction for myelinated nerves.
The main mechanisms behind peripheral nerve injuries can include stretching, compression and transection.
Compression of vascular structures can cause ischemic injury and direct nerve, or myelin compression can also lead to peripheral nerve injury. Additionally, transection, which can consist of cutting the nerve in a partial or complete manner can also lead to this type of injury. This mechanism can affect sensory and motor nerves and affect the quality of life of trauma patients.
The need for a novel and innovative strategy to improve nerve guidance conduits in peripheral nerve repair would enable the reduction of this issue and increase the health of those affected.
Nerve guidance conduits have been used as a bridging substrate that is able to provide temporary mechanical support, in order to allow transected nerves to sprout over the nerve gap, as well as aiding in the inhibition of fibrous tissue infiltration. The use of these conduits has been used commonly as an alternative implant for peripheral nerve repair.
Over recent years, the advancements in this field have consisted of novel materials to develop nerve guidance conduits and this has included poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) due to its properties such as good biodegradation and processibility. However, its non-electrically conductive material has illustrated its lack of compatibility with reconstructing the conductivity of nerves as it would lead to a lack of electrical signal transduction as well as ineffective coordination of cellular function and nerve regeneration.
These challenges with the use of PLLA have led researchers to look towards other materials and the innovative solutions that nanotechnology provides, such as graphene oxide, gold nanoparticles and MXene.
The researchers of this pre-proof study have utilized MXene, which is a two-dimensional layered transition metal carbide, due to its impressive properties such as superior electrical conductivity as well as carrier mobility. Additionally, this nanomaterial has a remarkably useful surface that is high in hydrophilic functional groups, and this can enhance cell attachment, which further illustrates the potential of MXene as a candidate for fabricating conductive nerve guidance conduits.
This potential of MXene resulted in an innovative experiment consisting of creating effective MXene nanosheets that were coated on the surface of PLLA particles and ultimately produced a three-dimensional continuous conducive network.
This pre-proof research may advance current technology within this field as it enables a continuous pathway for effective and efficient charge transmission, and this could ultimately increase the electrical conductivity levels of current nerve guidance conduits.
Additionally, the use of 3D printing or laser additive manufacturing in this process is significant as it provides the ability to produce precise components of any complex structure through the use of a path-controlled laser beam that is able to fabricate products layer by layer.
The addition of this method for this research ensured that the network structure was retained as well as tight MXene contact which aided in providing a strong path for electronic transmission.
Future Outlook
Advancements such as through this research can be significant for patients with peripheral nerve injury as even with early diagnosis and accurate nerve repair, the functional recovery of this injury may never be the same as before the injury occurred.
The use of this nanotechnology innovation could further biomedical research and possibly change this experience for patients with higher recovery potential.
This study could be used to advance fields such as nanotechnology as well as regenerative medicine and this research can only be furthered through large-scale experimentation in order to evaluate the use of MXene for enhancing nerve cell responses for clinical patient care.
News
Does Space-Time Really Exist?
Is time something that flows — or just an illusion? Exploring space-time as either a fixed “block universe” or a dynamic fabric reveals deeper mysteries about existence, change, and the very nature of reality. [...]
Unlocking hidden soil microbes for new antibiotics
Most bacteria cannot be cultured in the lab-and that's been bad news for medicine. Many of our frontline antibiotics originated from microbes, yet as antibiotic resistance spreads and drug pipelines run dry, the soil [...]
By working together, cells can extend their senses beyond their direct environment
The story of the princess and the pea evokes an image of a highly sensitive young royal woman so refined, she can sense a pea under a stack of mattresses. When it comes to [...]
Overworked Brain Cells May Hold the Key to Parkinson’s
Scientists at Gladstone Institutes uncovered a surprising reason why dopamine-producing neurons, crucial for smooth body movements, die in Parkinson’s disease. In mice, when these neurons were kept overactive for weeks, they began to falter, [...]
Old tires find new life: Rubber particles strengthen superhydrophobic coatings against corrosion
Development of highly robust superhydrophobic anti-corrosion coating using recycled tire rubber particles. Superhydrophobic materials offer a strategy for developing marine anti-corrosion materials due to their low solid-liquid contact area and low surface energy. However, [...]
This implant could soon allow you to read minds
Mind reading: Long a science fiction fantasy, today an increasingly concrete scientific goal. Researchers at Stanford University have succeeded in decoding internal language in real time thanks to a brain implant and artificial intelligence. [...]
A New Weapon Against Cancer: Cold Plasma Destroys Hidden Tumor Cells
Cold plasma penetrates deep into tumors and attacks cancer cells. Short-lived molecules were identified as key drivers. Scientists at the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), working with colleagues from Greifswald University Hospital and [...]
This Common Sleep Aid May Also Protect Your Brain From Alzheimer’s
Lemborexant and similar sleep medications show potential for treating tau-related disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that a commonly used sleep medication can restore normal sleep patterns and [...]
Sugar-Coated Nanoparticles Boost Cancer Drug Efficacy
A team of researchers at the University of Mississippi has discovered that coating cancer treatment carrying nanoparticles in a sugar-like material increases their treatment efficacy. They reported their findings in Advanced Healthcare Materials. Over a tenth of breast [...]
Nanoparticle-Based Vaccine Shows Promise in Fighting Cancer
In a study published in OncoImmunology, researchers from the German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University have created a therapeutic vaccine that mobilizes the immune system to target cancer cells. The researchers demonstrated that virus peptides combined [...]
Quantitative imaging method reveals how cells rapidly sort and transport lipids
Lipids are difficult to detect with light microscopy. Using a new chemical labeling strategy, a Dresden-based team led by André Nadler at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) and [...]
Ancient DNA reveals cause of world’s first recorded pandemic
Scientists have confirmed that the Justinian Plague, the world’s first recorded pandemic, was caused by Yersinia pestis, the same bacterium behind the Black Death. Dating back some 1,500 years and long described in historical texts but [...]
“AI Is Not Intelligent at All” – Expert Warns of Worldwide Threat to Human Dignity
Opaque AI systems risk undermining human rights and dignity. Global cooperation is needed to ensure protection. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has changed how people interact, but it also poses a global risk to human [...]
Nanomotors: Where Are They Now?
First introduced in 2004, nanomotors have steadily advanced from a scientific curiosity to a practical technology with wide-ranging applications. This article explores the key developments, recent innovations, and major uses of nanomotors today. A [...]
Study Finds 95% of Tested Beers Contain Toxic “Forever Chemicals”
Researchers found PFAS in 95% of tested beers, with the highest levels linked to contaminated local water sources. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), better known as forever chemicals, are gaining notoriety for their ability [...]
Long COVID Symptoms Are Closer To A Stroke Or Parkinson’s Disease Than Fatigue
When most people get sick with COVID-19 today, they think of it as a brief illness, similar to a cold. However, for a large number of people, the illness doesn't end there. The World [...]
