Conductive PS inverse opals for regulating proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells

•The conductive and anisotropic inverse opal substrate is fabricated by modifying polystyrene inverse opal films with carbon nanotubes and then stretching them to varying degrees.•The conductive and anisotropic inverse opal substrate is used to induce cellular orientation and the formation of ordered neural networks.•The conductive and anisotropic inverse opal substrate possess value in nerve tissue engineering regeneration.