Graphene oxide coating facilitates the bioactivity of scaffold material for tissue engineering

Carbon-based nanomaterials are being investigated for biomedical applications. Graphene oxide (GO), a monolayer of carbon, holds promise as a tissue engineering substrate due to its unique physicochemical properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a GO coating on cell proliferation and differentiation in vitro. We also assessed the bioactivities of collagen scaffolds coated with different concentrations of GO in rats. The results showed that GO affects both cell proliferation and differentiation, and improves the properties of collagen scaffolds. Subcutaneous implant tests showed that low concentrations of GO scaffold enhances cell in-growth and is highly biodegradable, whereas high concentrations of GO coating resulted in adverse biological effects. Consequently, scaffolds modified with a suitable concentration of GO are useful as a bioactive material for tissue engineering. (C) 2014 The Japan Society of Applied Physics