title: 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.
authors.affiliation: International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS) , Trieste 34136, Italy.|Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste , Trieste 34127, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fabbro
authors.affiliation: International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS) , Trieste 34136, Italy.|Life Science Department, University of Trieste , Trieste 34127, Italy.|NanoInnovation Laboratory, ELETTRA Synchrotron Light Source , Trieste 34149, Italy.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scaini
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemisty, University of Castilla-La Mancha , Ciudad Real 13071, Spain.
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: León
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemisty, University of Castilla-La Mancha , Ciudad Real 13071, Spain.
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.affiliation: International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS) , Trieste 34136, Italy.
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cellot
authors.affiliation: Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Privitera
authors.affiliation: Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.affiliation: Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Torrisi
authors.affiliation: Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tomarchio
authors.affiliation: Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom.|Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Graphene Labs , Genova 16163, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonaccorso
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste , Trieste 34127, Italy.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bosi
authors.affiliation: Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Andrea C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS) , Trieste 34136, Italy.|Life Science Department, University of Trieste , Trieste 34127, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ballerini
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste , Trieste 34127, Italy.|Carbon Nanobiotechnology Laboratory, CIC biomaGUNE , Paseo de Miramón 182, 20009 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain.|Basque Foundation for Science, Ikerbasque , Bilbao 48013, Spain.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004566:Electrodes; D006108:Graphite / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D061251:Primary Cell Culture; D051381:Rats; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D006108:Graphite
keywords: graphene; hippocampal cultures; liquid phase exfoliation; neuronal interfaces; patch clamp; synaptic networks