Application of graphene in articular cartilage tissue engineering and chondrogenic differentiation

Graphene (GR) , composites developed using GR have attracted a great deal of attention for their potential applications in biomedical engineering. Offering excellent characteristics (e.g., good biocompatibility, huge surface area, outstanding electrical properties , distinctive thermal behaviors), their usage as a scaffold has widely been examined in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The incorporation of different bio-macromolecules (e.g., nucleic acids, proteins, and polymers) with GR-based composites makes them promising scaffolds for cartilage tissue regeneration. As a highly specialized connective tissue, articular cartilage plays a key role in providing a smooth and lubricated surface to facilitate movements in diarthrodial joints. The success of cartilage tissue engineering and regeneration is largely dependent on the permissiveness and compatibility of the scaffold to the incorporated cells and chondrogenic factors and biomechanical behavior. This review provides deep insights into the recent progress in the bioengineering of GR-based hybrid scaffolds and their applications in cartilage tissue engineering and chondrogenic differentiation.