Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology · Oct 30, 2026
Reprogramming Neural Repair through the Convergence of Gene Editing and Bioelectronic Scaffolds
By Ying Li, Kaizhi Cai, Lei Zhao et al.
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.