Unlocking nerve regeneration: electrical stimulation and bioscaffolds to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration
Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a challenging clinical problem resulting in disabling sensorimotor deficits, which may become permanent if recovery does not take place in a timely manner. In this review, we examine recent insights into key molecular mechanisms—particularly MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt—tha...
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| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1594435/full |
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| author | Vanshit Thakkar Melod Mehdipour Stephano Chang |
| author_facet | Vanshit Thakkar Melod Mehdipour Stephano Chang |
| author_sort | Vanshit Thakkar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a challenging clinical problem resulting in disabling sensorimotor deficits, which may become permanent if recovery does not take place in a timely manner. In this review, we examine recent insights into key molecular mechanisms—particularly MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt—that govern Wallerian degeneration, Schwann cell (SC) reprogramming, and macrophage polarization. These and other critical steps in the axonal regeneration process must be understood and navigated for a therapeutic approach to be successful. We highlight emerging therapeutic strategies, such as electrical stimulation (ES), which appears to work by activating many of these pro-regenerative gene networks, both in neurons and non-neuronal support cells. Advances in biomaterial engineering, including natural and synthetic scaffolds enriched with growth factors, also show promise in facilitating axonal regeneration across nerve gaps. We postulate that integrating optimized ES protocols with innovative scaffold designs will allow for synergies to further enhance axonal regeneration and functional recovery. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-37e1ffa7cbf9479fac3e5d57b1148874 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1662-453X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj-art-37e1ffa7cbf9479fac3e5d57b11488742025-08-20T01:51:55ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroscience1662-453X2025-05-011910.3389/fnins.2025.15944351594435Unlocking nerve regeneration: electrical stimulation and bioscaffolds to enhance peripheral nerve regenerationVanshit Thakkar0Melod Mehdipour1Stephano Chang2Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United StatesCalifornia Northstate University, College of Medicine, Elk Grove, CA, United StatesDepartment of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, United StatesPeripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a challenging clinical problem resulting in disabling sensorimotor deficits, which may become permanent if recovery does not take place in a timely manner. In this review, we examine recent insights into key molecular mechanisms—particularly MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt—that govern Wallerian degeneration, Schwann cell (SC) reprogramming, and macrophage polarization. These and other critical steps in the axonal regeneration process must be understood and navigated for a therapeutic approach to be successful. We highlight emerging therapeutic strategies, such as electrical stimulation (ES), which appears to work by activating many of these pro-regenerative gene networks, both in neurons and non-neuronal support cells. Advances in biomaterial engineering, including natural and synthetic scaffolds enriched with growth factors, also show promise in facilitating axonal regeneration across nerve gaps. We postulate that integrating optimized ES protocols with innovative scaffold designs will allow for synergies to further enhance axonal regeneration and functional recovery.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1594435/fullperipheral nerve injurynerve regenerationperipheral nerve regeneration/repairSchwann cell reprogrammingelectrical stimulationnatural and synthetic scaffolds |
| spellingShingle | Vanshit Thakkar Melod Mehdipour Stephano Chang Unlocking nerve regeneration: electrical stimulation and bioscaffolds to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration Frontiers in Neuroscience peripheral nerve injury nerve regeneration peripheral nerve regeneration/repair Schwann cell reprogramming electrical stimulation natural and synthetic scaffolds |
| title | Unlocking nerve regeneration: electrical stimulation and bioscaffolds to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration |
| title_full | Unlocking nerve regeneration: electrical stimulation and bioscaffolds to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration |
| title_fullStr | Unlocking nerve regeneration: electrical stimulation and bioscaffolds to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unlocking nerve regeneration: electrical stimulation and bioscaffolds to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration |
| title_short | Unlocking nerve regeneration: electrical stimulation and bioscaffolds to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration |
| title_sort | unlocking nerve regeneration electrical stimulation and bioscaffolds to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration |
| topic | peripheral nerve injury nerve regeneration peripheral nerve regeneration/repair Schwann cell reprogramming electrical stimulation natural and synthetic scaffolds |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1594435/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vanshitthakkar unlockingnerveregenerationelectricalstimulationandbioscaffoldstoenhanceperipheralnerveregeneration AT melodmehdipour unlockingnerveregenerationelectricalstimulationandbioscaffoldstoenhanceperipheralnerveregeneration AT stephanochang unlockingnerveregenerationelectricalstimulationandbioscaffoldstoenhanceperipheralnerveregeneration |