Organ synergy in poly(vinylidene fluoride)-based piezoelectrical materials for tissue engineering

Abstract

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-based piezoelectric materials have emerged as a transformative platform in tissue engineering due to their unique ability to mimic endogenous bioelectric signals, which play pivotal roles in cellular behaviors, such as proliferation, differentiation, and tissue regeneration. This review comprehensively explores the structural polymorphism, processing techniques, and electromechanical properties of PVDF and its copolymers, emphasizing their superior piezoelectric coefficients, biocompatibility, and adaptability to diverse fabrication methods. The intrinsic piezoelectricity of PVDF, driven by its polar β-phase, enables dynamic responses to mechanical stimuli, such as physiological movements or external forces, generating localized electrical potentials that modulate critical signaling pathways to enhance tissue repair. Applications span multiple organs: in bone regeneration, PVDF scaffolds promote osteogenesis through mechanoelectrical coupling; in neural engineering, they facilitate axonal growth and myelination; in cardiac repair, they synchronize cardiomyocyte contraction; and in skin healing, they accelerate re-epithelialization and angiogenesis. Despite these advances, challenges persist, including optimizing piezoelectric output, ensuring long-term biocompatibility, and achieving controlled biodegradability. Future directions highlight the integration of PVDF with smart functionalities and the exploration of organ-specific signaling mechanisms to advance clinical translation. This work underscores the potential of PVDF-based materials as multifunctional platforms for next-generation regenerative therapies.