An electroactive conduit for spinal cord injury repair

Electrospun fibrous scaffolds of piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene (PVDF-TrFE) were evaluated to enhance neurite extension for spinal cord injury (SCI) repair. An aligned fibrous piezoelectric scaffold was investigated in order to provide physical cues (via contact guidance) and local electrical activity to promote neuronal differentiation and neurite extension. Rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) and dorsal root ganglion explants (DRGs) were cultured on random or aligned fibrous PVDF-TrFE scaffolds. Neurites of PC12 cells were observed to extend and proliferated along the direction of the aligned fibers. Neurite extension of DRGs was observed on both random and aligned electrospun PVDF-TrFE scaffolds suggesting the potential use of these scaffolds in spinal cord repair.