Nerve fiber regeneration

Nerve fiber regeneration refers to the complex biological process by which damaged or severed nerve fibers (axons) attempt to regrow and reestablish functional connections with their target tissues, typically following injury in the peripheral or central nervous system. This process involves a cascade of cellular and molecular events, including Wallerian degeneration, activation of Schwann cells, upregulation of neurotrophic and growth factors (e.g., nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)), and intracellular signaling pathways such as MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt[1][2][3][5][6][7]. These mechanisms support axon regrowth, guidance, myelination, neuronal survival, and, ultimately, the restoration of function. Impairments or failures in these processes can lead to chronic neurological deficit, neuroma, or neuropathic pain. Summary of core issue: "Nerve fiber regeneration" is not itself a molecular target but a biological process mediated by many signaling molecules, growth factors, and pathways. Individual molecules like "Nerve growth factor," "BDNF," "GDNF," or their receptors (e.g., TrkA, TrkB, GFRα1) are the true molecular targets for drug development and therapeutic interventions, not the regeneration process itself[2][3][6]. If your goal is to extract a canonical drug target, you should instead specify a particular molecule (e.g., "Nerve growth factor receptor," "Brain-derived neurotrophic factor," etc.).

Other names

Nerve regenerationAxon regenerationPeripheral nerve regenerationNeural regeneration