Self-powered assemblies for tissue engineering applications

Abstract

Bioelectric phenomena play important roles in living organisms and are essential for regulating cellular and tissue behavior. Electroactive assemblies can facilitate tissue repair and/or regulate neural activity by simulating the tissue microenvironment, while providing electrical signals and biocompatible component niches. Self-powered nanogenerators including TENG and PENG are essential part in electroactive assemblies. Assemblies incorporating TENG or PENG can present the advantages of controllable morphology, portability, low cost, and flexibility, making them a new and promising research content in the biomedical field. Herein, we describe in detail the basic physical rules underlining electric field generations in assemblies, and discuss constructing rules and research progress of self-powered assemblies in tissue engineering. Their applications in the fields of bone tissue repair and regeneration, nerve modulation and injury repair, skin wound healing, and antibacterial are sequentially discussed. Finally, current challenges and possible solutions of self-powered artificial assemblies are discussed, expecting to promote the research efforts and advance the self-powered assemblies from laboratory to clinical applications.