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
Can our mitochondria help to beat long Covid?
At Cambridge University’s MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, Michal Minczuk is one of a growing number of scientists around the world aiming to find new ways of improving mitochondrial health. This line of research could help [...]
Lipid nanoparticles carry gene-editing cancer drugs past tumor defenses
As they grow, solid tumors surround themselves with a thick, hard-to-penetrate wall of molecular defenses. Getting drugs past that barricade is notoriously difficult. Now, scientists at UT Southwestern have developed nanoparticles that can break [...]
Graphene Nanosensor Detects Biomarkers Through Tears
In an article recently published in the journal Talanta, researchers demonstrated a new approach to enable the specific detection of biomarkers in human tear by employing an aptamer-based graphene affinity nanosensor. The ability to detect [...]
How Nanotechnology Can Make a Splash in Aquaculture
Selenium (Se) is an essential element found in aquatic feeds that promotes the proper development, wellbeing, and fitness of marine animals. Selenium can be transformed into nanomaterials that are more easily accessible, absorbed, and consumed by [...]
Super-Resolution Imaging Method For Multiple Fluorescence Microscopy Applications
In an article recently published in the journal Nanotechnology, researchers employed a single particle imaging method for fluorescence excitation with moderate intensity to achieve spatial resolution. Here, the semiconductor nanocrystals were accessed, whose emission lifetimes [...]
Trials to begin on new SA COVID-19 vaccine
A new COVID-19 vaccine developed in South Australia and administered with a needle-free device is to begin human trials. Designed by University of Adelaide researchers the DNA vaccine also targets the Omicron variant of [...]
Towards Carbon Clean Manufacturing with Eco-Friendly Nano-Lubricants
Grinding is an essential manufacturing process, yet the heat due to friction associated with the process causes damage to the part being processed. Lubrication is used to reduce friction; however, traditional petroleum-based lubricants can [...]
Researchers develop hybrid sensor that could help diagnose cancer
A team of researchers from HSE University, Skoltech, MPGU, and MISIS have developed a nanophotonic-microfluidic sensor whose potential applications include cancer detection, monitoring and treatment response assessment. Today, the device can identify gases and [...]
Scientists Develop ‘Nanomachines’ That Can Penetrate And Kill Cancer Cells
Researchers have made a scientific breakthrough with the development of ‘nanomachines’ that can kill cancerous cells. The research team headed by Dr Youngdo Jeong from the Center for Advanced Biomolecular Recognition at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has engineered [...]
Green Method to Make Nanoparticles and Ultrafine Powder
A novel freeze-dissolving approach has been devised that offers greater efficiency and sustainability compared to the classic freeze-drying process to make superfine powder or nanoparticles. In the research published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, sphere-shaped [...]
Participants wanted for study on the regulation of what future AI-driven nanomedicines should look like
Would you like to help in some research on the regulation of what future AI-driven nanomedicines should look like? If so, researchers at the University of Bristol are looking for volunteers to discuss ethical [...]
Could gold nanoparticles help treat cancer?
Gold nanoparticles are minuscule particles made of gold. From drug and gene delivery to photothermal and photodynamic therapies to screening and diagnostic tests to radiation therapy, X-ray imaging and CT scans, these small particles [...]
Carbon Dots Target Nucleolus and Monitor in Real-Time
In an article recently published in the journal Applied Surface Science, the researchers synthesized green fluorescent carbon dots (G-CDs) from 3,5-diaminobenzoic acid and citric acid. The as-prepared G-CDs were used to target the nucleolus and [...]
Green Nanoformulation for Anti-Cancer and Antibacterial Functions
Doxorubicin (DOX) is a powerful anti-cancer medication, and efforts have been made to design nanostructures for delivering it to cancerous cells. The nanostructures increase the cytotoxic effects of DOX on cancerous cells, while reducing the negative effects [...]
New drug delivery system releases therapeutic cargo only when bacteria are present
A team of Brown University researchers has developed a new responsive material that is able to release encapsulated cargo only when pathogenic bacteria are present. The material could be used to make wound dressings [...]
Hairy Cell Leukemia Complicated by Severe COVID-19: A Case Study
Novel three-drug regimen used to manage life-threatening developments. In April 2021, a 42-year-old man reached out to Brian Hill, MD, PhD, for a second opinion after being diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia following a bone [...]