PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CONDUCTIVE SCAFFOLDS FOR NEURAL TISSUE ENGINEERING

Damages to the nervous system are one of the health challenges. Using electrical stimuli because of the nervous system's electrical nature has been introduced as a solution to differentiate the stem cells successfully in recent years. Electrical stimulation (ES) has been used in various cell culture methods to grow stem cells such as nerve stem cells (NSCs), nerve differentiation, migration, and repair. Electrical stimulation mechanisms direct axon and neurite growth and cause directional cell migration, while magnetic fields cause neurogenesis and help NSC differentiate into functional neurons/nerve cells. Conductive nanomaterials have been utilized as functional scaffolds to provide mechanical support and biophysical signals to direct the growth and differentiation of nerve cells and form complex neural tissue patterns. Electrical signals may improve stem cell neurogenesis through activating specific ion channels, such as SCN1α. This article can be used as a checklist for ES work in stem cell research to expand using stem cells in clinical applications. This study revealed that electrical conductive materials and applying electrical and magnetic signals to stem cells could be a promising option in treating diseases of the nervous system, such as spinal cord injuries. , Parkinson's, and other diseases related to the nervous system.