Graphene-Based Interfaces Do Not Alter Target Nerve Cells

Abstract

Neural-interfaces rely on the ability of electrodes to transduce stimuli into electrical patterns delivered to the brain. In addition to sensitivity to the stimuli, stability in the operating conditions and efficient charge transfer to neurons, the electrodes should not alter the physiological properties of the target tissue. Graphene is emerging as a promising material for neuro-interfacing applications, given its outstanding physico-chemical properties. Here, we use graphene-based substrates (GBSs) to interface neuronal growth. We test our GBSs on brain cell cultures by measuring functional and synaptic integrity of the emerging neuronal networks. We show that GBSs are permissive interfaces, even when uncoated by cell adhesion layers, retaining unaltered neuronal signaling properties, thus being suitable for carbon-based neural prosthetic devices.

Sensing at the Surface of Graphene Field‐Effect Transistors

“…[145] Therefore graphene provides a flexible and conducting substrate that interfaces well with the soft, 3D biological systems. [146][147][148] For example, the mechanical flexibility and electrical functions of graphene membrane can be used to achieve a strongly coupled electromechanical biointerface by coating yeast cells with an ultrathin layer of rGO (see also Fig. 7f).…”

“…[148] In fact, stimulating and recording extracellular potentials (or even intracellular potential using branched transistors [209] ) from neurons is one of the hallmark of modern bioelectronics. Graphene can serve not only as conductive electrodes to transduce stimuli into the cells, but also as the conductive channel of GFETs to monitor the presence and activity of the cells.…”

“…[215] In such a flexible bioelectronic platform, individual cells in a network can be addressed via electrical interfaces, which could potentially lead to advanced learning circuits, neuron-implants, and neuroprosthesis that could potentially replace damaged nervous tissue for treating brain and paralysis diseases. [148] Fig . …”

Linear and Nonlinear Spectroscopy by a Common-Path Birefringent Interferometer

“…The film is then transferred on a 100-m glass coverslip. The protocol to obtain the ink is as follows [32], [33]: 120 mg of graphite flakes (Sigma-Aldrich) are dispersed in 10 mL of DIW with 90 mg sodium deoxycholate, then placed in an ultrasonic bath for 9 h and subsequently ultracentrifuged using a TH-641 swinging bucket rotor in a Sorvall WX-100 ultracentrifuge at 10 krpm (17 000g) for 1h. After ultracentrifugation, the top 70% of the dispersion is extracted by pipetting and then vacuum filtered via 100 nm pore-size filters (Millipore nitrocellulose filter membranes).…”

In Vitro Evaluation of Biocompatibility of Uncoated Thermally Reduced Graphene and Carbon Nanotube-Loaded PVDF Membranes with Adult Neural Stem Cell-Derived Neurons and Glia

“…Moreover, very few works have addressed the effect of uncoated graphene on the growth of neurons and glial cells. They reported that neurons can develop on graphene but their attachment was reduced compared to when the neurons were grown on poly- d -Lysine and laminin (Bendali et al, 2013; Sahni et al, 2013), that graphene stimulated neurite length compared to a glass substrate (Lee et al, 2015), or that pristine graphene and graphene-based substrates were permissive for neuronal outgrowth (Veliev et al, 2016) and synapse formation and function (Fabbro et al, 2016). …”