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research diagram. image source: "today's materials"

science and technology daily reporter zhang mengran

a research team from the royal college of surgeons in ireland has successfully developed a new type of 3d printed implant that can transmit electrical signals, aiming to promote nerve cell repair after spinal cord injury. the research results were published in the latest issue of the journal materials today.

spinal cord injury is a devastating disease that often leaves patients with serious consequences such as paralysis. after the injury occurs, the axonal projections of nerve cells are cut off, triggering a nerve "death" process starting from the injury site. at the same time, the lesions or gaps formed at the wound site become a natural barrier to hinder the regeneration of nerve cells, a process that is crucial for the recovery of damaged functions.

in order to solve this medical problem, the research team cleverly developed an implantable conductive 3d printed scaffold. this innovative design can not only effectively fill the gap after spinal cord injury, but also use conductive biomaterials to mimic the natural structure of the spinal cord, providing a "regeneration path" for damaged neurons.

even more exciting is that the implant combines electrical stimulation technology to inject regenerative vitality into damaged neurons by transmitting electrical signals. under the action of electrical stimulation, damaged axons are able to grow again and extend in the correct direction along the scaffolds and channels of the implant, achieving the reconnection and functional recovery of nerve cells. this unique treatment method is the first of its kind in existing treatment platforms and shows great application potential.

the results of laboratory tests showed that after one week of electrical stimulation, the implant successfully guided the neurons grown on the scaffold to grow long, healthy neurites. this discovery brings unprecedented hope for the repair and recovery process after spinal cord injury, and indicates that in future in vivo experiments, patients may also be able to achieve similar neural regeneration and functional recovery.

(source: science and technology daily)

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