After injuries, axonal regeneration over long distance is challenging due to lack of orientation guidance. Biocompatible scaffolds have been used to mimic the native organization of axons to guide and facilitate axonal regeneration. Those scaffolds are of great importance in achieving functional connections of the nervous system. We have developed a nanoladder scaffold to guide directional outgrowth and facilitate regeneration of axons. The nanoladders, composed of micron-scale stripes and nanoscale protrusions, were fabricated on the glass substrate using photolithography and reactive ion etching methods. Embryonic neurons cultured on the nanoladder scaffold showed significant neurite elongation and axonal alignment in parallel with the nanoladder direction. Furthermore, the nanoladders promoted axonal regeneration and functional connection between organotypic spinal cord slices over 1 mm apart. Multimodality imaging studies revealed that such neuronal regeneration was supported by directional outgrowth of glial cells along nanoladders in the organotypic spinal cord slice culture as well as in the coculture of glial cells and neurons. These results collectively herald the potential of our nanoladder scaffold in facilitating and guiding neuronal development and functional restoration.

中文翻译：

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纳米梯有助于轴突的定向生长和再生。

受伤后，由于缺乏方向指导，长距离轴突再生具有挑战性。生物相容性支架已被用来模仿轴突的天然组织，以指导和促进轴突再生。这些支架对于实现神经系统的功能连接非常重要。我们已经开发了一种纳米梯子支架，以指导定向向外生长并促进轴突的再生。使用光刻和反应离子刻蚀方法，在玻璃基板上制造了由微米级条纹和纳米级突起组成的纳米梯。在纳米梯子支架上培养的胚胎神经元显示出明显的神经突伸长和与纳米梯子方向平行的轴突排列。此外，纳米梯子促进了轴突再生和器官型脊髓切片之间相距1毫米的功能连接。多模态成像研究表明，这种神经元的再生是由胶质细胞沿器官梯状切片培养以及胶质细胞和神经元的共培养物中沿着纳米梯的定向生长所支持的。这些结果共同预示了我们的纳米梯架在促进和指导神经元发育和功能恢复中的潜力。