Electrospun silk fibroin scaffolds coated with reduced graphene promote neurite outgrowth of PC-12 cells under electrical stimulation

•Fibres with reduced graphene oxide (SF/rGO) became electronic conductors.•Adhesion and proliferation are improved in PC-12 cells growing on SF/rGO mats.•Viability > 95% is observed in cells growing on all the produced materials.•rGO coating induces differentiation of PC-12 cells to neuronal-like phenotypes.•The neurite outgrowth is more pronounced when electric currents are applied.

Novel approaches to neural research require biocompatible materials capable to act as electrode structures or scaffolds for tissue engineering in order to stimulate or restore the functionality of damaged tissues. This work offers promising results that indicate the potential use of electrospun silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds coated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) in this sense. The coated material becomes conductor and electroactive. A complete characterisation of SF/rGO scaffolds is provided in terms of electrochemistry, mechanical behaviour and chemical conformation of fibroin. The excellent biocompatibility of this novel material is proved with cultures of PC-12 cells. The coating with rGO improved the adhesion of cells in comparison with cells growing onto the surface of pure SF scaffolds. Also, the use of SF/rGO scaffolds combined with electrical stimulation promoted the differentiation into neural phenotypes reaching comparable or even superior levels to those obtained by means of the traditional treatment with neural growth factor (NGF).

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