The invention relates to scaffold-free three dimensional nerve fibroblast constructs and method of generating the nerve fibroblast constructs. The invention also relates to methods or repairing nerve transection and replacing damaged nerve tissue using the nerve fibroblast constructs of the invention.

A nerve guidance conduit includes a spiral structured porous sheet decorated with channels on its surface and electrospun nanofibers in a parallel alignment with the channels and an outer tubular structure including randomly-oriented nanofibers. Such a structure provides augmented surface areas for providing directional guidance and augmented surfaces for enhancing and peripheral nerve regeneration. The structure also has the mechanical and nutrient transport requirements required over long regeneration periods. To prepare a nerve guidance conduit, porous polymer sheet is prepared by a solvent casting method while using a template of thin rods to form parallel channels on a surface of the sheet. Aligned nanofibers are deposited on the sheet parallel to the channels. The polymer sheet is then wound to form a spiral structure. A dense layer of randomly-oriented nanofibers may be deposited on the outside of the spiral.

The disclosure provides a fiber, comprising a biocompatible polymer and melanin, or a fibrous assembly comprising the fiber, a system for fabricating a fibrous assembly, a method for fabricating a fibrous assembly, a method of producing a fiber, and a semiconductor.

Particles of non-woven graft materials for use in specialized surgical procedures such as soft tissue repair and wound management procedures, methods for making the powder, and methods for repairing tissue such as neurological tissue using the powder are disclosed. The particles can advantageously be used to fill irregular shaped areas or can be used in conjunction with non-woven graft materials.

To achieve in vivo repair of severed mammalian nerve tissue, a system can be employed to induce distraction neurogenesis. At least a portion of the system can be anchored at an injury site, such as between distal and proximal nerve ends. The system can be attached to the proximal nerve end and can place the nerve under micro-tension for an extended period of treatment. The system may also deliver medication or treatment to encourage neurogenesis and to reduce pain in the subject receiving treatment. After the course of treatment, the device can be removed from the injury site, and the nerve ends rejoined.

A medical device for repairing injuries to the spinal cord or peripheral nerve has a first flexible substrate supporting first nanoparticles selected from the group consisting of silicon, carbon, gold and titanium, at least partially embedded in a binding layer joined to the first flexible substrate. Each first nanoparticle develops along a preferential direction of development. The nanoparticles are oriented so that, statistically, the preferential direction of development is parallel to a first orientation of growth. Stem cells are at least partially embedded in the binding layer. The first nanoparticles are functionalized so that stem cell differentiation along the first nanoparticles is guided in the first orientation of growth. The first flexible substrate is suitable to assume a distended configuration and a wrapped configuration in which it is wrapped around the spinal cord or peripheral nerve whereby the first orientation of growth is statistically parallel to the neuronal direction of extension of neurons of the spinal cord or peripheral nerve.

The present invention provides, among other things, powerful new tools for therapeutic and research uses in the central and/or peripheral nervous system. The present invention provides, inter alia, compositions including a plurality of human nerve cells, a plurality of glial cells, and silk fibroin, as well as methods for making and using such compositions.

Disclosed is a nerve conduit. The nerve conduit includes: a conduit body which connects both sides of a severed nerve within a biological body; a triboelectric nanogenerator which includes an upper friction layer and a lower friction layer; a multilinear electrode which is located between the conduit body and the triboelectric nanogenerator, and is electrically connected to the upper and lower friction layers; and an upper encapsulation layer which is positioned above the triboelectric nanogenerator. The nerve conduit of the present disclosure can enhance nerve regeneration efficiency.

Disclosed herein are non-woven graft materials for use in specialized surgical procedures involving nerve repair and regeneration. Some embodiments describe electrospun fiber products such as conduits, wraps, or grafts comprising a resorbable hybrid-scale matrix to facilitate nerve repair and regeneration.

A three-dimensional electrospun nanofiber scaffold for use in repairing a defect in a tissue substrate is provided. The three-dimensional electrospun nanofiber scaffold includes a first layer formed by a first plurality of electrospun polymeric fibers and a second layer formed by a second plurality of electrospun polymeric fibers. The second layer is coupled to the first layer using a coupling process and includes a plurality of varying densities formed by the second plurality of electrospun polymeric fibers. The first and second layers are configured to degrade via hydrolysis after at least one of a predetermined time or an environmental condition. The three-dimensional electrospun nanofiber scaffold is configured to be applied to the tissue substrate containing the defect.