Graphene and graphene-based materials in axonal repair of spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe trauma of the central nervous system that results in a high rate of disability through motor, sensory, and sphincter dysfunctions, dystonia, and pathological reflexes. Graphene and graphene-based materials have better mechanical properties than more mature biological scaffold materials...These properties result in a high swelling rate of graphene-based composite scaffolds; reduce the possibility of secondary injury; and increase the affinity between the scaffold surface and the loaded cells. This review summarizes the advantages of these materials in the treatment of SCI. We discuss their potential in overcoming the difficulties in the treatment of SCI and provide a reference for researchers to perform further investigation.

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  Graphene and graphene-based materials are used in the treatment of SCI because of their good biocompatibility, neuronal induced orientation, adsorption, electrical conductivity, and flexibility.
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  GO can also induce embryonic stem cells to differentiate into neurons. For example, GO can effectively enhance the dopamine neuronal differentiation of embryonic stem cells and enhance the expression of dopamine neuron-related genes.
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  The authors found that this material can help the damaged spinal cord repair nerve function by promoting blood vessel remodeling and axon regeneration.