Table 4.

Summary of carbon-based scaffolds for neural tissue engineering.

Scaffold composition	Cells (in vitro)	Key findings	Ref.
PCU:CN	Rat astrocytes	Minimized astrocyte functions on CNFs Decreased glial scar formation Positive interactions with neurons	[177]
Electrospun PCL/CNF (conduit)	PC12 cells	Suitable for cell attachment and proliferation	[178]
Electrospun CNFs (random and aligned topographies)	hEnSCs	Biocompatible CNF topography-dependent proliferation, morphology, and differentiation of hEnSCs: Aligned CNFs: enhanced differentiation of hEnSCs into neurons and directed cell growth along the fibers’ axis, significant upregulation of neuronal markers (1.7- and 2.6-fold increase for NF-H and Tuj-1, respectively in comparison with random CNFs), and downregulation of neural progenitor marker (nestin) Random CNFs: maintained progenitor state and slightly differentiation into oligodendrocyte, higher expression of nestin (3-fold increase) and slight upregulation of oligodendrocyte marker (OLIG-2) in comparison with aligned CNFs	[179]

Abbreviations: PCU:CN: Polycarbonate urethane: carbon nanofiber; PCL: Poly(ε-caprolactone); SWCNT/PLLA: Single-walled carbon-nanotube/Poly(l-Lactic acid); PLGA/CNTPD: Polylactide-co-glycolide/carbon nanotube-dopamine; CS-PU/fMWCNT: Chitosan-polyurethane/functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes; PPy: polypyrrole; Gr/SF: Graphene-silk fibroin; rGONR: reduced graphene oxide nanoribbon; SiO2: Silicon dioxide; rGONMs: reduced graphene oxide nanomeshes; GOF: Graphene oxide foam; PC12: Rat pheochromocytoma cells; hEnSCs: Human endometrial stem cells; OEC: Olfactory ensheathing glial cells; S42: Schwann cells; L929: Mouse fibroblast cell line; SCs; Schwann cells; BV2: Murine microglial cell line; hNSCs: human neural stem cells; NE-4C: Neuroectodermal stem cells.