Self-folding graphene scaffolds with integrated electronics for cardiac tissue engineering

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) cardiac microtissues offer physiologically relevant platforms for studying cardiac development, disease modelling, and drug screening. Scaffold-based strategies, particularly those incorporating graphene, have shown promise in supporting cardiomyocyte alignment, maturation, and contractility due to graphene’s high electrical conductivity, mechanical flexibility, and biocompatibility. In addition, effective bioelectronic interfacing is essential for capturing electrophysiological dynamics and modulating cardiac function in engineered tissues. However, current methods typically separate tissue scaffolding from bioelectronic interfacing, limiting integration efficiency and signal fidelity. Here, we report a self-folded graphene micro-roll platform that simultaneously functions as a 3D scaffold and integrated electrical interface. Each micro-roll embeds 4 graphene-based microelectrodes, enabling real-time electrophysiological monitoring and localised stimulation without external probes. Cardiomyocytes seeded onto the micro-rolls spontaneously assembled into tissue conforming to the scaffold geometry, supporting synchronous contraction and exhibiting stimulation-induced modulation of the beating frequency. This system provides a practical, scalable approach to creating electrically active cardiac constructs with promising applications in tissue engineering, disease research, and drug development.