title: The structural development of primary cultured hippocampal neurons on a graphene substrate.
abstract: The potential of graphene-based nanomaterials as a neural interfacing material for neural repair and regeneration remains poorly understood. In the present study, the response to the graphene substrate by neurons was determined in a hippocampal culture model. The results revealed the growth and maturation of hippocampal cultures on graphene substrates were significantly improved compared to the commercial control. In details, graphene promoted growth cone growth and microtubule formation inside filopodia 24h after seeding as evidenced by a higher average number of filopodia emerging from growth cones, a longer average length of filopodia, and a larger growth cone area. Graphene also significantly boosted neurite sprouting and outgrowth. The dendritic length, the number of branch points, and the dendritic complex index were significantly improved on the graphene substrate during culture. Moreover, the spine density was enhanced and the maturation of dendritic spines from thin to stubby spines was significantly promoted on graphene at 21 days after seeding. Lastly, graphene significantly elevated the synapse density and synaptic activity in the hippocampal cultures. The present study highlights graphene's potential as a neural interfacing material for neural repair and regeneration and sheds light on the future biomedical applications of graphene-based nanomaterials.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China.
authors.forename: Zuhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China.
authors.forename: Shasha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Zhejiang Pharmaceutical College, Ningbo 315100, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hearing Research Institute, Affiliated Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
authors.forename: Wenyan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hearing Research Institute, Affiliated Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Huawei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China. Electronic address: mingliangtang@seu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Mingliang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China. Electronic address: renjiec@seu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Renjie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003712:Dendrites / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006108:Graphite / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020439:Growth Cones; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011554:Pseudopodia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006108:Graphite
keywords: Graphene; Hippocampal neurons; Neuron regeneration; Neuron repair; Tissue engineering