Nerve Guides as Nerve Tissue Engineering Biomaterials

SPEAKER: Dr. Tuğba DURSUN USAL, Middle East Technical University
ABSTRACT:
The nervous system can be damaged by mechanical, thermal, chemical, or ischemic factors. This damage results in the interruption of communication between neurons and their targets. Therefore, various nervous system functions such as memory, cognition, language, and voluntary movement are impaired. The emerging nerve tissue engineering approach to solve these problems is to provide physical support via tubular bridging devices such as “nerve guides”. Nerve guides are used to bridge these neural gaps created as a result of these events. The design of the nerve guide is very important for the reconnection of the severed axons. In this webinar, the design, construction, and testing of a nerve guide that carries inner guidance elements to provide an appropriate microenvironment for peripheral nerve regeneration will be covered.