Incorporation of Laminarin-Based Hydrogel with Graphene Foam To Enhance the Toughness of Scaffold and Regulate the Stem Cell Behavior

Three-dimensional (3D) carbon-based scaffolds have rapidly risen in tissue engineering due to the excellent conductivity and unique topological structures. For specific in vivo application, it is desirable to maintain the rigidity and improve the toughness of scaffolds in response to the compression force from surrounding tissues. In light of the combined advantages of graphene and hydrogels, we here construct a 3D composite scaffold consisting of a graphene foam (GF) and a laminarin hydrogel (LAgel). The composite scaffold was fabricated by immersing the GF in an LA hydrogel precursor followed by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation to form a photocross-linked LAgel surrounding the GF. This composite scaffold exhibited the improved toughness compared with the GF or LAgel. The 3D GF can support cell attachment and cell spreading of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), while the in situ-formed LAgel with cell adhesive peptide arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) conjugated can induce the cell migration. The results suggest that the approach to incorporate the LAgel with the 3D GF not only enhances the toughness of the scaffold but also offers a carrier to realize the cargo of biosignals to regulate cell behaviors, showing the potential of this composite scaffold for tissue regeneration.