Electrically Conductive Materials: Opportunities and Challenges in Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Tissue engineering endeavors to regenerate tissues and organs through appropriate cellular and molecular interactions at biological interfaces. To this aim, bio-mimicking scaffolds have been designed and practiced to regenerate and repair dysfunctional tissues by modifying cellular activity. Cellular activity and intracellular signaling are performances given to a tissue as a result of the function of elaborated electrically conductive materials. In some cases, conductive materials have exhibited antibacterial properties; moreover, such materials can be utilized for on-demand drug release. Various types of materials ranging from polymers to ceramics and metals have been utilized as parts of conductive tissue engineering scaffolds, having conductivity assortments from a range of semi-conductive to conductive. The cellular and molecular activity can also be affected by the microstructure; therefore, the fabrication methods should be evaluated along with an appropriate selection of conductive materials. This review aims to address the research progress toward the use of electrically conductive materials for the modulation of cellular response at the material-tissue interface for tissue engineering applications.

Electroconductive Nanobiomaterials for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

“…Furthermore, tissue properties such as mechanical (stiffness) and biological cues that determine cellular activity (including cell adhesion, growth, proliferation, differentiation, and growth) should be simulated in an architected scaffold to guarantee tissue regeneration in damaged tissue. 4 Since cellular fate is modulated by cell-scaffold interactions, efforts have been made to regulate cellular responses by controlling tissue engineering material topography, three-dimensional (3D) geometry, and/or chemical composition. Some external factors can potentially affect cell-material interactions and biocompatibility, including physical stimulation using surface topology, biochemical stimulation using the release of growth factors, and mechanical and electrical stimulation, yet all these have to be duplicated in improved artificial tissue engineering systems.…”

“…Select cellular activity and intracellular signaling can be enhanced due to electrically conductive materials. 4,8 This review article highlights the very recent advancements in the development of different types of electroconductive nanobiomaterials (including nanofibrous scaffolds, hydrogels, hybrid scaffolds, films, and 3D printed constructs) that can recapitulate the electrical and cellular behavior of a specific tissue required for translatable regenerative medicine. Furthermore, an overview of the existing technologies and examples of these scaffolds (with particular emphasis on electroconductive scaffolds) for cardiac, nerve, bone, and skeletal muscle tissue engineering are summarized and discussed.…”

“…associated with conductive polymers is their slow in vivo degradation rate (more than 8 weeks), which makes them inappropriate candidates due to their risk of inflammation and consequently necessitating surgical removal. 4,[41][42][43] Conductive polymers have also been incorporated into scaffolds to promote their contraction ability; however, their mechanical compliance (elasticity) after in vivo implantation has not been sufficient. 44 Therefore, in the case of electroconductive polymers, there is an unmet need to engineer conductive polymers with appropriate degradability both in vitro and in vivo, and that has fostered researchers to work on incorporating these conductive polymers at lower ratios in the design of composite hydrogels.…”

“…It has been reported that lasting low-frequency electrical stimulation has effects on the growth and differentiation of myoblasts by duplicating some bioelectric signals. 4,[133][134][135] Fabricating substrates from materials with electroactive properties are suitable for the adhesion and growth of cells and can make possible the stimulation of cellular activity through electrical transfer. 136 For a suitable environmental stimulus to promote healthy cell function and regeneration of tissue, it is required to develop scaffolds with all requirements, such as chemical, electrical, and mechanical properties.…”

Biomimetic Hybrid Systems for Tissue Engineering

“…Cells can acquire a specific charge with the use of conductive materials. Under local electrical fields ion transfer and movement across cell membranes may be promoted, favoring cell attachment and proliferation as well as protein expression [164]. Reprinted with permission from [113,145].…”