Reprogramming neural repair through the convergence of gene editing and bioelectronic scaffolds
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Neural repair research increasingly combines molecular interventions with engineered environments that support axonal growth and circuit function. This narrative review examines neuronal growth pathways, direct cellular reprogramming, conductive scaffolds, extracellular-vesicle delivery, and neuroimmune and neurovascular interactions. Genetic studies of PTEN/mTOR, SOCS3/STAT3, and growth-associated transcription factors provide a biological foundation for investigating targeted gene regulation. CRISPR-based editing and transcriptional control offer distinct tools for exploring these pathways. Conductive and stimulus-responsive materials provide experimental interfaces for structural guidance, electrical stimulation, and local molecular delivery. Their integration with gene-regulatory systems is presented as a conceptual strategy for coordinating molecular and biophysical interventions. Organoids, single-cell and spatial profiling, and electrophysiological measurements offer complementary approaches to characterizing cell identity and network responses. Clinical studies targeting axon-growth inhibition provide a separate translational evidence stream, with outcomes interpreted according to intervention, injury characteristics, and trial design. Priorities for integrated repair systems include cell-specific delivery, material stability, durable circuit function, and longitudinal safety assessment. A prospective digital-twin workflow is proposed to connect biological measurements with computational predictions and experimentally evaluated intervention choices. Together, these research directions support a framework for studying programmable neural repair across molecular, cellular, and systems levels.
Institutions: Suizhou Central Hospital, Zunyi Medical University
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7225652700