The impact of electrical stimulation protocols on neuronal cell survival and proliferation using cell-laden GelMA/graphene oxide hydrogels

Abstract

Electrical stimulation of cell laden hydrogels promotes the survival and proliferation of neuronal cells when compared to cells seeded into flat surfaces.

A tissue-engineered neural interface with photothermal functionality

“…23 The material was electrically stimulated under current amplitudes ranging from 0 to 2.5 mA, where indium tin oxide (ITO) was used as a substrate. 19 Overall, it was possible to attain an increase in cell proliferation over the period of seven days. The encapsulation of PC12 neural cells into GelMA-GO provided a protective effect on the cells, whereby the cells encapsulated within the hydrogel could withstand high current stimulation protocols of up to 2.5 mA without experiencing cell death.…”

“…17,18 Previous work has addressed the mechanical mismatch issue by designing a 3 dimensional (3D) electroactive soft hydrogel material that presents stiffness modulus similar to the neural environment ≈5 kPa, composed of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and graphene oxide (GO). [19][20][21][22] The soft electroactive hydrogel was investigated using PC12 cells encapsulated within the material to evaluate cell viability and its response to electrical stimulation (ES). PC12 cells have been widely used as a neural cell model to investigate cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation under electrical stimulation.…”

“…38 Mendes et al previously reported a composite tissue interface based on soft gelatin methacryloyol (GelMA) hydrogel and large area graphene oxide (GO) flakes, which exhibited excellent electroactivity at relatively low volume fractions of GO. 19 Here, we have added optical functionality to the material by conjugating AuNRs to the GO and then encapsulating the resulting nanoparticle assemblies in GelMA. 39 The possibility of having both GO and AuNRs components in the composite potentially allows the benefits of the individual stimulation techniques to be merged within one system.…”

3D Graphene Oxide-Polyethylenimine Scaffolds for Cardiac Tissue Engineering

“…8,9 In the last decade, different graphene-based biomaterials have been investigated, demonstrating that the properties of the produced scaffold can vary tremendously as a result of the chosen preparation methodology, 10−12 surface morphology, 13 type of graphene exploited, 14 its chemical functionalization, 15 defects, 16 and environmental conditions/stimulations. 17 Since many factors and parameters are involved, the engineering or design of the scaffold of interest has to be carefully studied to ensure reproducibility and fine tuning of the properties in view of the desired application. 10,18 Among the graphene-based materials, graphene oxide (GO) represents the "hydrophilic derivative" of graphene, and it is usually preferred over graphene for producing homogeneous aqueous suspensions due to the oxygen-containing functional groups on its basal plane (hydroxyl and epoxide groups) and edges (carboxyl groups).…”

“…Indeed, carbon-based materials have been regarded as valuable components to be incorporated into nonconductive or low conducting materials yielding scaffolds with higher physical strength, biological activity, and conductivity, which ultimately can direct cells to form electrically conductive networks . Moreover, the natural propensity of graphene-based nanostructures to undergo self-assembly has been widely explored to build up “all-carbon” three-dimensional scaffolds for application in nanomedicine. , In the last decade, different graphene-based biomaterials have been investigated, demonstrating that the properties of the produced scaffold can vary tremendously as a result of the chosen preparation methodology, − surface morphology, type of graphene exploited, its chemical functionalization, defects, and environmental conditions/stimulations . Since many factors and parameters are involved, the engineering or design of the scaffold of interest has to be carefully studied to ensure reproducibility and fine tuning of the properties in view of the desired application. , Among the graphene-based materials, graphene oxide (GO) represents the “hydrophilic derivative” of graphene, and it is usually preferred over graphene for producing homogeneous aqueous suspensions due to the oxygen-containing functional groups on its basal plane (hydroxyl and epoxide groups) and edges (carboxyl groups). , GO exhibits a relatively low electrical conductivity compared to graphene sheets, but it has been shown that GO can support attachment, growth, and differentiation of cells with little or no cytotoxic effects. − Three-dimensional GO foams have been prepared via self-assembly of reduced GO and nanohydroxyapatite composites for tissue engineering applications .…”