English
Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a major challenge in regenerative medicine, often leading to long-term functional impairment. In this study, we introduced the Peripheral Nerve Injury Chip (PNI Chip), a cutting-edge platform designed specifically for high-speed screening of biomaterials and drugs to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration. The PNI chip combines arranged nanofibers as terrain clues with microfluidic technology to create a controlled and multifunctional environment for studying key factors affecting axonal growth and regeneration. Our research suggests that the density of arranged nanofibers plays a critical role in axonal regeneration speed and the recovery of damaged axonal regions. In addition, we investigated the dynamic interactions between regenerating axons and arranging nanofibers, revealing the adaptability of axon growth cones to terrain cues. Furthermore, as demonstrated by our evaluation of paclitaxel and M1, PNI chips are effective tools for drug screening. Paclitaxel exhibits concentration dependent effects, while mitochondrial fusion promoter M1 can significantly increase axonal growth rate, emphasizing the potential of mitochondrial dynamics as a target for improving neural regeneration. The PNI chip represents a breakthrough in peripheral nerve regeneration research, providing a method for systematically exploring nanofiber parameters and drug interventions in a controlled and high-throughput manner.
