ABSTRACT

Biomimetic devices, which mimic the structure or function of biological systems, represent an area of intense research growth in the biotechnology industry. The nervous system provides several unique challenges. Although peripheral nerves regenerate after some injuries, current clinical treatment results in limited recovery. Central nerves, which contain different support cells than peripheral nerves, develop scar tissue that is inhibitory to regeneration. Many devices are being developed to imitate the structure of nerve and to promote regeneration in either the peripheral or central nervous system. These devices incorporate biological, mechanical, chemical, or electrical cues to recreate the native nerve environment. Although alteration of the local environment with individual cues has encouraged some regeneration, no single device has provided “the cure” to nervous system injury. Success in the peripheral nervous system has been confined to small injury gaps, while functional central nervous system repair is rarely evidenced. It is clear that future neural tissue analogues must integrate multiple cues to more closely imitate natural nerve structure. Due to the limited injury recovery in the nervous system, biomimetics are also being developed to replace neural function. Most technologies use microelectrodes to interact directly with nerve cells, with successful examples including cochlear and retinal implants. However, these digital approaches do not resemble nerve signaling, and future prosthetics will demand more faithful analogues, such as those available through neuromorphic engineering, an analogue computing approach. There is a clear need for biomimetic devices in the nervous system. Regeneration devices and prosthetics have already met some of this need. Combined approaches promise further improvements in compatibility and development of nervematerial interfaces never thought possible.