Research on the characteristics of nerve guidance conduits based on phase separation 3D printing and electromagnetic induction technology

The clinical repair of peripheral nerve injury (PNI) presents high complexity, while neural conduits (NGCs) implantation serves as a potential strategy to promote peripheral nerve regeneration. However, integrating multiple factors such as three-dimensional microscopic porous structures, improved mechanical properties, surface topological features, and electrical stimulation (ES) to regulate the neural cell fate and reconstruct the regeneration microenvironment remains a significant challenge. Here, we successfully fabricated the PCL/MXene NGCs featuring microgroove structures and electrical conductivity using phase separation 3D printing technology. The NGCs demonstrate excellent mechanical properties (Young’s modulus: 12.78 ± 0.38 MPa) and electrical conductivity (5.68 ± 0.48 S/m), meeting the requirements for clinical application. Additionally, we incorporated electromagnetic induction technology to achieve synergistic modulation of directional guidance and non-invasive ES on rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells growth. In vitro cell culture experiments demonstrated that the PCL/MXene NGCs significantly guided the axonal orientation of PC12 with at 54.56 ± 4.84 % axons aligning within 0-30°. This magneto-induced, non-invasive ES further promoted cell proliferation and axonal growth, with the axonal length increased by approximately 31 % compared to the non-ES groups. This conductive grooved the PCL/MXene NGCs, constructed based on phase separation 3D printing and electromagnetic induction technology, holds promise for investigating nerve cell behaviors and offers innovative approaches for treating PNI.