Uniaxially crumpled graphene as a platform for guided myotube formation

• Published in: Microsystems & nanoengineering 2019-11, Vol.5 (1), p.1-10, Article 53
• Main Authors: Kim, Junghoon, Leem, Juyoung, Kim, Hong Nam, Kang, Pilgyu, Choi, Jonghyun, Haque, Md Farhadul, Kang, Daeshik, Nam, SungWoo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/301/357; 639/925/350/2093; Biocompatibility; Cell differentiation; Compressive properties; Differentiation (biology); Elongation; Engineering; Graphene; Morphology; Muscles; Myotubes; Organic chemistry; Regenerative medicine; Skeletal muscle; Surface layers; Tissue engineering
• ISSN: 2055-7434; 2096-1030; 2055-7434
• DOI: 10.1038/s41378-019-0098-6

Graphene, owing to its inherent chemical inertness, biocompatibility, and mechanical flexibility, has great potential in guiding cell behaviors such as adhesion and differentiation. However, due to the two-dimensional (2D) nature of graphene, the microfabrication of graphene into micro/nanoscale patterns has been widely adopted for guiding cellular assembly. In this study, we report crumpled graphene, i.e., monolithically defined graphene with a nanoscale wavy surface texture, as a tissue engineering platform that can efficiently promote aligned C2C12 mouse myoblast cell differentiation. We imparted out-of-plane, nanoscale crumpled morphologies to flat graphene via compressive strain-induced deformation. When C2C12 mouse myoblast cells were seeded on the uniaxially crumpled graphene, not only were the alignment and elongation promoted at a single-cell level but also the differentiation and maturation of myotubes were enhanced compared to that on flat graphene. These results demonstrate the utility of the crumpled graphene platform for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine for skeletal muscle tissues. Graphene: crumpled surfaces add a new wrinkle to tissue engineering A technique that introduces instabilities onto normally flat graphene can enhance the engineering of muscle fibers. Researchers have recently found that applying cyclic electric stimuli to conductive graphene films promotes the growth of tubular myoblast cells that comprise muscle tissue. SungWoo Nam at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the United States and colleagues have now developed a ‘crumpled’ form of graphene to further control the morphology of myoblasts. The team transferred graphene film onto a pre-stretched elastomeric tape, and then gradually released the tape’s tension. Microscopy revealed graphene’s transformation into an accordion-like surface featuring nanoscale ridges and valleys. Comparisons with flat graphene showed the new material improved the assembly of myoblasts into longer myotubes by promoting growth along the direction of the crumpled valleys.