Electric Phenomenon: A Disregarded Tool in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) are paving the way to the generation o functional and mature biological tissues that closely emulate cellular, biochemical, and mechanical cues. Electrical fields in the human body modulate myriad biological processes, such as synapses, muscle contraction, hearing, and wound healing, which were disregarded in TERM unti recently. To preserve and improve tissue electrophysiology, cells can be loaded in electroactive biomaterials and stimulated with exogenous electrical fields. Here, we review how electrica stimulation and electroactive biomaterials can be used to instruct cells to create more mature and functional tissue-engineered constructs. We also highlight the most recent electroactive en gineered tissues developed for TERM.