Mini review: Biomaterials in repair and regeneration of nerve in a volumetric muscle loss

Abstract

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) following a severe trauma or injury is beyond the intrinsic regenerative capacity of muscle tissues, and hence interventional therapy is required. Extensive muscle loss concomitant with damage to neuromuscular components overwhelms the muscles' remarkable regenerative capacity. The loss of nervous and vascular tissue leads to further damage and atrophy, so a combined treatment for neuromuscular junction (NMJ) along with the volumetric muscle regeneration is important. There have been immense advances in the field of tissue engineering for skeletal muscle tissue and peripheral nerve regeneration, but very few address the interdependence of the tissues and the need for combined therapies to repair and regenerate fully functional muscle tissue. This review addresses the problem and presents an overview of the biomaterials that have been studied for tissue engineering of neuromuscular tissues associated with skeletal muscles.

Keywords: Muscle regeneration; Nerve regeneration; Neuromuscular junction; Tissue engineering.