title: Aligned Nanofibers from Polypyrrole/Graphene as Electrodes for Regeneration of Optic Nerve via Electrical Stimulation.
abstract: The damage of optic nerve will cause permanent visual field loss and irreversible ocular diseases, such as glaucoma. The damage of optic nerve is mainly derived from the atrophy, apoptosis or death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Though some progress has been achieved on electronic retinal implants that can electrically stimulate undamaged parts of RGCs or retina to transfer signals, stimulated self-repair/regeneration of RGCs has not been realized yet. The key challenge for development of electrically stimulated regeneration of RGCs is the selection of stimulation electrodes with a sufficient safe charge injection limit (Q(inj), i.e., electrochemical capacitance). Most traditional electrodes tend to have low Q(inj) values. Herein, we synthesized polypyrrole functionalized graphene (PPy-G) via a facile but efficient polymerization-enhanced ball milling method for the first time. This technique could not only efficiently introduce electron-acceptor nitrogen to enhance capacitance, but also remain a conductive platform-the π-π conjugated carbon plane for charge transportation. PPy-G based aligned nanofibers were subsequently fabricated for guided growth and electrical stimulation (ES) of RGCs. Significantly enhanced viability, neurite outgrowth and antiaging ability of RGCs were observed after ES, suggesting possibilities for regeneration of optic nerve via ES on the suitable nanoelectrodes.
authors.affiliation: Lab of Nanoscale Biosensing and Bioimaging, Institute of Advanced Materials for Nano-Bio Applications, School of Ophthalmology & Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University , Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Lab of Nanoscale Biosensing and Bioimaging, Institute of Advanced Materials for Nano-Bio Applications, School of Ophthalmology & Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University , Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
authors.forename: Bingxin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Lab of Nanoscale Biosensing and Bioimaging, Institute of Advanced Materials for Nano-Bio Applications, School of Ophthalmology & Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University , Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Lab of Nanoscale Biosensing and Bioimaging, Institute of Advanced Materials for Nano-Bio Applications, School of Ophthalmology & Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University , Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University , Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3216, Australia.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Lab of Nanoscale Biosensing and Bioimaging, Institute of Advanced Materials for Nano-Bio Applications, School of Ophthalmology & Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University , Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Harbin Engineering University , Harbin, Heilong Jiang 150001, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoxue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University , Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3216, Australia.
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Lab of Nanoscale Biosensing and Bioimaging, Institute of Advanced Materials for Nano-Bio Applications, School of Ophthalmology & Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University , Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.|Center of Advanced Science and Engineering for Carbon (Case4Carbon), Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Lab of Nanoscale Biosensing and Bioimaging, Institute of Advanced Materials for Nano-Bio Applications, School of Ophthalmology & Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University , Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.|Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Macquarie University , Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004566:Electrodes; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D011758:Pyrroles; C067635:polypyrrole; D006108:Graphite
keywords: N-graphene; electrical stimulation; nanofibers; optical nerve regeneration; polypyrrole; retina ganglion cells