| Presently, clinical nanomedicine and nanobiotechnology have impressively
demanded the generation of new organic/inorganic analogues of graphene (as one of the
intriguing biomedical research targets) for stem-cell-based tissue engineering. Among
different shapes of graphene, three-dimensional (3D) graphene foams (GFs) are highly
promising candidates to provide conditions for mimicking in vivo environments, affording
effective cell attachment, proliferation,and differentiation due to their unique properties.
These include the highest biocompatibility among nanostructures, high surface-to-volume
ratio, 3D porous structure (to provide a homogeneous/isotropic growth of tissues), highly
favorable mechanical characteristics, and rapid mass and electron transport kinetics (which
are required for chemical/physical stimulation of differentiated cells). This review aims to
describe recent and rapid advances in the fabrication of 3D GFs, together with their use in
tissue engineering and regenerative nanomedicine applications. Moreover, we have
summarized a broad range of recent studies about the behaviors, biocompatibility/
toxicity,and biodegradability of these materials, both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the
highlights and challenges of these 3D porous structures, compared to the current polymeric scaffold competitors, are discussed. |