University of Florida researchers have developed a nerve interface for peripheral nerve repair

This device could allow for amputees’ nerve cells to interact with their prosthetic limbs.

While prosthetic limb technology has advanced rapidly to provide crude motor control, the nerve-interface technology needed for bidirectional communication between the user and the limb has not. Current technology is limited by poor sensory feedback and the need for extensive user training. There is a need for a device that can comprehensively engage with many axons in a nerve and produce little negative reaction following implant.

Dr. Christine Schmidt’s team at the University of Florida has developed a magnetically aligned regenerative tissue-engineered electronic nerve interface (MARTEENI) that combines polyimide threads and microelectrodes within a hydrogel surrounded by small intestinal submucosa (SIS).¹ A magnetically templated hydrogel provides physical support for the threads and supports regeneration. Magnetic alginate microparticles are added to create aligned, linear channels within the hydrogel for Schwann cells to grow. In vitro studies with Schwann cells determined the optimum component concentrations for scaffolds that resembled native nerve stiffness and microarchitecture.

MARTEENI devices were implanted in transected sciatic rat nerves and were compared to isografts and empty implants (SIS nerve guides). The empty SIS devices were found to have more Schwann cell markers (S100) than the other groups, but the MARTEENI device had levels of collagen I and laminin similar to the SIS (empty) group. They found that MARTEENIs demonstrated equivalent and robust cellular infiltration and regeneration compared to isografts and empty SIS nerve guides.

This study showed that MARTEENI devices supported nerve cell growth and did not interfere with remodeling. Future studies will determine if MARTEENI devices can support functional recovery by allowing amputees to directly engage with their protheses.

1. Kasper M, Ellenbogen B, Hardy R, Cydis M, Mojica-Santiago J, Afridi A, Spearman BS, Singh I, Kuliasha CA, Atkinson E, Otto KJ, Judy JW, Rinaldi-Ramos C, Schmidt CE. Development of a magnetically aligned regenerative tissue-engineered electronic nerve interface for peripheral nerve applications. Biomaterials. 2021:279:121212.