| Autor: |
Casal D; Departamento de Anatomia, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (NMS|FCM), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal.; Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department and Burn Unit, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Central, Rua José António Serrano, 1169-045 Lisbon, Portugal., Casimiro MH; Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Universidade de Lisboa, 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal., Ferreira LM; Departamento de Engenharia e Ciências Nucleares (DECN), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Universidade de Lisboa, 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal., Leal JP; Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE), Institute of Molecular Sciences (IMS), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Universidade de Lisboa, 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal., Rodrigues G; Centro de Ecologia, Evolução e Alterações Ambientais (cE3c) & CHANGE-Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa (FCUL), 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal., Lopes R; Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department, Maternidade Alfredo da Costa, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Central, R. Viriato 1, 2890-495 Lisboa, Portugal., Moura DL; Anatomy Institute and Orthopedics Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal.; Spine Unit, Orthopedics Department, Coimbra University Hospital, 3000-602 Coimbra, Portugal., Gonçalves L; Departamento de Anatomia, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (NMS|FCM), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal., Lago JB; Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa (FCUL), 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal., Pais D; Departamento de Anatomia, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (NMS|FCM), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal., Santos PMP; Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Universidade de Lisboa, 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal. |
| Abstrakt: |
It has increasingly been recognized that electrical currents play a pivotal role in cell migration and tissue repair, in a process named "galvanotaxis". In this review, we summarize the current evidence supporting the potential benefits of electric stimulation (ES) in the physiology of peripheral nerve repair (PNR). Moreover, we discuss the potential of piezoelectric materials in this context. The use of these materials has deserved great attention, as the movement of the body or of the external environment can be used to power internally the electrical properties of devices used for providing ES or acting as sensory receptors in artificial skin (e-skin). The fact that organic materials sustain spontaneous degradation inside the body means their piezoelectric effect is limited in duration. In the case of PNR, this is not necessarily problematic, as ES is only required during the regeneration period. Arguably, piezoelectric materials have the potential to revolutionize PNR with new biomedical devices that range from scaffolds and nerve-guiding conduits to sensory or efferent components of e-skin. However, much remains to be learned regarding piezoelectric materials, their use in manufacturing of biomedical devices, and their sterilization process, to fine-tune their safe, effective, and predictable in vivo application. |
