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Tissue Engineering for Sciatic Nerve Repair: Review of Methods and Challenges

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Abstract

Purpose

The primary objective of this study was to offer a thorough examination of the various tissue engineering approaches employed in sciatic nerve repair. Investigating scaffold-based techniques, cell-based therapies, and bioactive molecule delivery systems shed light on the strengths, limitations, and challenges associated with each method.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies published up to the date of this review. Databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were used to gather a diverse range of articles, including original research, clinical trials, and review papers.

Results

Promising materials for neural tissue engineering include scaffolds, such as chitosan, collagen, and synthetic polymers. Moreover, cell-based therapies using neural crest stem cells, adipose-derived stem cells, and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells the potential to promote peripheral nerve regeneration. Delivery systems, such as neurotrophic factor-loaded microspheres and exosomes, along with neurotrophic factors, such as NGF, BDNF, and GDNF, have demonstrated promising results for enhancing sciatic nerve repair.

Conclusion

Stem cells hold potential for nerve tissue repair, whereas controlled release of neurotrophic factors aids axonal regeneration. Overcoming challenges such as optimal implantation timing and minimizing secondary damage is crucial and ongoing research is needed to refine scaffold properties and improve distal pathway efficacy, ultimately enhancing surgical management and functional recovery for patients with severe peripheral nerve injuries.

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Data Availability

As a review manuscript, this article does not involve original data collection or analysis. Instead, it is a comprehensive synthesis and analysis of existing literature and information from publicly available sources. All references used in this review article are appropriately cited and acknowledged. Therefore, no specific datasets are associated with this review, and there are no additional data files to be shared.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are exceedingly grateful to the editor and reviewers for their constructive comments to improve the quality of this review.

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  1. Anatomical Sciences & Cognitive Neuroscience Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

    Yasaman Ebrahimi-kia, Parivash Davoudi & Sima Bordbar

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  1. Yasaman Ebrahimi-kia
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study’s conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by YEK, PD, and SB. The first draft of the manuscript was written by YEK and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Yasaman Ebrahimi-kia.

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This is an observational study. The XYZ Research Ethics Committee has confirmed that no ethical approval is required.

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This review article does not involve any direct participation of human subjects or original data collection. As such, explicit consent from participants is not applicable. All sources and references used in this review article have been properly cited and acknowledged. No personally identifiable information or sensitive data about individuals is included.

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Ebrahimi-kia, Y., Davoudi, P. & Bordbar, S. Tissue Engineering for Sciatic Nerve Repair: Review of Methods and Challenges. J. Med. Biol. Eng. 43, 663–671 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40846-023-00833-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40846-023-00833-9

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