Stiffness-tunable biomaterials provide a good extracellular matrix environment for axon growth and regeneration

作     者：Ronglin Han Lanxin Luo Caiyan Wei Yaru Qiao Jiming Xie Xianchao Pan Juan Xing Ronglin Han;Lanxin Luo;Caiyan Wei;Yaru Qiao;Jiming Xie;Xianchao Pan;Juan Xing

作者机构：Department of PathophysiologySchool of Basic Medical SciencesSouthwest Medical UniversityLuzhouSichuan ProvinceChina Department of Medicinal ChemistrySchool of PharmacySouthwest Medical UniversityLuzhouSichuan ProvinceChina 

出 版 物：《Neural Regeneration Research》 (中国神经再生研究（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2025年第20卷第5期

页      面：1364-1376页

核心收录：

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 07[理学] 071006[理学-神经生物学] 

基　　金：supported by the Natio`nal Natural Science Foundation of China,No. 81801241 a grant from Sichuan Science and Technology Program,No. 2023NSFSC1578 Scientific Research Projects of Southwest Medical University,No. 2022ZD002 (all to JX) 

主　　题：alginate axon growth biomaterials extracellular matrix neural repair neurons neuroregeneration polyacrylamide polydimethylsiloxane stiffness 

摘      要：Neuronal growth, extension, branching, and formation of neural networks are markedly influenced by the extracellular matrix—a complex network composed of proteins and carbohydrates secreted by cells. In addition to providing physical support for cells, the extracellular matrix also conveys critical mechanical stiffness cues. During the development of the nervous system, extracellular matrix stiffness plays a central role in guiding neuronal growth, particularly in the context of axonal extension, which is crucial for the formation of neural networks. In neural tissue engineering, manipulation of biomaterial stiffness is a promising strategy to provide a permissive environment for the repair and regeneration of injured nervous tissue. Recent research has fine-tuned synthetic biomaterials to fabricate scaffolds that closely replicate the stiffness profiles observed in the nervous system. In this review, we highlight the molecular mechanisms by which extracellular matrix stiffness regulates axonal growth and regeneration. We highlight the progress made in the development of stiffness-tunable biomaterials to emulate in vivo extracellular matrix environments, with an emphasis on their application in neural repair and regeneration, along with a discussion of the current limitations and future prospects. The exploration and optimization of the stiffness-tunable biomaterials has the potential to markedly advance the development of neural tissue engineering.