title: Simple and effective graphene laser processing for neuron patterning application.
abstract: A straightforward fabrication technique to obtain patterned substrates promoting ordered neuron growth is presented. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) single layer graphene (SLG) was machined by means of single pulse UV laser ablation technique at the lowest effective laser fluence in order to minimize laser damage effects. Patterned substrates were then coated with poly-D-lysine by means of a simple immersion in solution. Primary embryonic hippocampal neurons were cultured on our substrate, demonstrating an ordered interconnected neuron pattern mimicking the pattern design. Surprisingly, the functionalization is more effective on the SLG, resulting in notably higher alignment for neuron adhesion and growth. Therefore the proposed technique should be considered a valuable candidate to realize a new generation of highly specialized biosensors.
authors.affiliation: Nanophysics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy. matteo.lorenzoni@iit.it
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lorenzoni
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brandi
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dante
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giugni
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Torre
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D007834:Lasers; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D006108:Graphite