A conducting-polymer platform with biodegradable fibers for stimulation and guidance of axonal growth

Anita F Quigley; Joselito M Razal; Brianna C Thompson; Simon E Moulton; Magdalena Kita; Elizabeth L Kennedy; Graeme M Clark; Gordon G Wallace; Robert M I Kapsa

doi:10.1002/adma.200901165

A conducting-polymer platform with biodegradable fibers for stimulation and guidance of axonal growth

Adv Mater. 2009 Nov 20;21(43):4393-7. doi: 10.1002/adma.200901165. Epub 2009 Aug 20.

Authors

Anita F Quigley^{1

2

3}, Joselito M Razal¹, Brianna C Thompson¹, Simon E Moulton¹, Magdalena Kita^{1

2

3}, Elizabeth L Kennedy³, Graeme M Clark^{1

3}, Gordon G Wallace⁴, Robert M I Kapsa^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science Intelligent Polymer Research Institute University of Wollongong Northfields Avenue Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia).
² Centre for Clinical Neuroscience and Neurology Research Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital 41 Victoria Pde Fitzroy, VIC 3065 (Australia).
³ Bionic Ear Institute 384-388 Albert St East Melbourne, VIC 3002 (Australia).
⁴ ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science Intelligent Polymer Research Institute University of Wollongong Northfields Avenue Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia). [email protected].

PMID: 26042951
DOI: 10.1002/adma.200901165

Abstract

A biosynthetic platform composed of a conducting polypyrrole sheet embedded with unidirectional biodegradable polymer fibers is described (see image; scale bar = 50 µm). Such hybrid systems can promote rapid directional nerve growth for neuro-regenerative scaffolds and act as interfaces between the electronic circuitry of medical bionic devices and the nervous system.

Keywords: Biomedical applications; Conducting polymers; Tissue engineering.