Linking graphene-based material physicochemical properties with molecular adsorption, structure and cell fate

Graphene, an allotrope of carbon, consists of a single layer of carbon atoms with uniquely tuneable properties. As such, graphene-based materials (GBMs) have gained interest for tissue engineering applications. GBMs are often discussed in the context of how different physicochemical properties affect cell physiology, without explicitly considering the impact of adsorbed proteins. Establishing a relationship between graphene properties, adsorbed proteins, and cell response is necessary as these proteins provide the surface upon which cells attach and grow. This review highlights the molecular adsorption of proteins on different GBMs, protein structural changes, and the connection to cellular function. Graphene-based materials are widely studied in biomedical applications, but a full picture of their interactions with proteins and cells remains elusive. Here the molecular basis for the effect of graphene-based materials on cell fate and in tissue engineering is reviewed.