journal article·2026-01Open access

Biodegradable Piezoelectric Amino Acid Nerve Guidance Conduit Repairs Long‐Gap Nerve Defect Under Low Frequency Vibration from Massage Gun

Genglin Chen, Quanhong Hu, Chuyu Tang, Songjing Zhong, Shaobo Wang, Zhuoheng Jiang, Shuncheng Yao, Qinyu Zhao, Linlin Li

Advanced Functional Materials· Volume 36· Issue 3

Abstract

Abstract Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) poses significant challenges due to limited regeneration capacity, with autografts being the current gold standard despite drawbacks like donor site morbidity. Conductive nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) integrating electrical stimulation (ES) show promise but require invasive external power sources. Here, a biodegradable, piezoelectric NGC is presented, composed of aligned polycaprolactone (PCL)‐β‐glycine composite nanofibers, which generate ES in response to low‐frequency mechanical vibrations, enabling wireless nerve regeneration. β‐glycine is stabilized in PCL nanofibers via a one‐step electrospinning process, ensuring phase stability and uniform distribution. The NGCs exhibited high piezoelectric output under mechanical stress, including low‐frequency vibrations from a massage gun. In vitro and in vivo experimental results demonstrated that piezoelectric stimulation significantly enhanced Schwann cell myelination and neurite outgrowth, enabling robust structural repair of 10 mm sciatic nerve defects, with 99% restoration of motor function and 96% recovery of nerve conduction, comparable to autograft performance. These biodegradable NGCs address critical limitations of existing therapies, presenting a promising approach for PNI treatment.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Nerve injury and regeneration · Neuroscience and Neural Engineering · Electrospun Nanofibers in Biomedical Applications

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 101400 P. R. China

School of Nanoscience and Engineering University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 101400 P. R. China

Funding

Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities

References (44)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1016/j.cell.2021.10.02910.1016/j.cell.2021.10.029 ↗
2. 10.1038/s41583-018-0001-810.1038/s41583-018-0001-8 ↗
3. Zarrintaj P. · Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. · 2018 · 6 · 99
4. 10.1038/nrneurol.2013.22710.1038/nrneurol.2013.227 ↗
5. 10.1002/advs.20170049910.1002/advs.201700499 ↗
6. 10.1021/acsami.3c0923710.1021/acsami.3c09237 ↗
7. 10.3389/fneur.2023.108145810.3389/fneur.2023.1081458 ↗
8. 10.1007/s42765-021-00124-510.1007/s42765-021-00124-5 ↗
9. 10.1002/adhm.20190157010.1002/adhm.201901570 ↗
10. Li Y. · Adv. Funct. Mater. · 2021 · 1 · 31
11. 10.1002/adma.20210417510.1002/adma.202104175 ↗
12. 10.1039/D2BM01216B10.1039/D2BM01216B ↗
13. 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.12016410.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120164 ↗
14. 10.1016/j.matt.2023.03.00510.1016/j.matt.2023.03.005 ↗
15. 10.1002/advs.20220753610.1002/advs.202207536 ↗
16. 10.1038/s41587-020-0495-210.1038/s41587-020-0495-2 ↗
17. 10.1038/s41551-020-0518-910.1038/s41551-020-0518-9 ↗
18. 10.1126/sciadv.150147810.1126/sciadv.1501478 ↗
19. 10.1038/s41551-020-00612-w10.1038/s41551-020-00612-w ↗
20. 10.1002/bmm2.1200610.1002/bmm2.12006 ↗
21. 10.1002/EXP.2023014910.1002/EXP.20230149 ↗
22. Chen W. · Matter · 2025 · 102088 · 2590
23. 10.1038/nnano.2012.11210.1038/nnano.2012.112 ↗
24. 10.1002/jbm.a.3759510.1002/jbm.a.37595 ↗
25. 10.1016/j.cej.2025.16130810.1016/j.cej.2025.161308 ↗
26. 10.1038/s41427-019-0110-510.1038/s41427-019-0110-5 ↗
27. Hosseini E. S. · Bio Mater · 2020 · 4 · 163
28. 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2019.03.06710.1016/j.colsurfb.2019.03.067 ↗
29. 10.1177/204173142096759110.1177/2041731420967591 ↗
30. 10.1002/adma.20190698910.1002/adma.201906989 ↗
31. 10.1038/s41467-023-39692-y10.1038/s41467-023-39692-y ↗
32. 10.1038/nmat504510.1038/nmat5045 ↗
33. 10.1126/science.abf215510.1126/science.abf2155 ↗
34. 10.1126/sciadv.adg607510.1126/sciadv.adg6075 ↗
35. 10.1021/cg700890m10.1021/cg700890m ↗
36. 10.1021/acsami.9b2105210.1021/acsami.9b21052 ↗
37. 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2014.09.02910.1016/j.jmbbm.2014.09.029 ↗
38. Liu G. · Neural Regen Res · 2012 · 7 · 2299
39. 10.1038/nrneurol.2013.22710.1038/nrneurol.2013.227 ↗
40. 10.1101/cshperspect.a02048710.1101/cshperspect.a020487 ↗
41. 10.1007/s00018-020-03516-910.1007/s00018-020-03516-9 ↗
42. 10.1016/j.actbio.2016.04.00810.1016/j.actbio.2016.04.008 ↗
43. 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.09.03710.1016/j.actbio.2020.09.037 ↗
44. 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.12040110.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120401 ↗