Biofunctionalisation of electrically conducting polymers

• Increasing the use of multifaceted strategies for the functionalisation of conducting polymers in tissue-engineering applications.
• Long-term performance and minimising glial scar formation – major challenges for neural prosthetic devices.
• In vivo studies offer important progress in this field.

During a single decade of research, evidence has emerged that glial scar formation around the electro–tissue interface drives neural loss and increases the signal impedance of the electrodes, compromising the efficiency of the stimulating systems. Studies with conducting polymers (CPs) as electrode coatings have shown enhanced tissue integration and electrode performance in situ through biochemical and physicomechanical functionalisation. In this review, recent findings on CP modifications are provided in the context of neurospecific biomaterials, shedding light on the valuable impact of multifunctionalised strategies for biomedical applications.