Regulating the Behavior of Human Gingival Fibroblasts by sp2 Domains in Reduced Graphene Oxide

Long-term function of dental implants relies on not only stable osseointegration but also strong soft tissue sealing ability. Ideal soft tissue sealing around implants is an effective protective barrier between the external environment and alveolar bone, preventing the invasion of bacteria that is considered as a vital trigger of irreversible marginal bone loss. Carbon-based materials have been reported to be beneficial to soft tissue sealing, which can be regulated through the hybridization type of carbon atoms (sp2 or sp3), but its internal mechanism is still not clear. In this work, graphene oxide (GO) with both sp2- and sp3- hybridized carbons was electrophoretic deposited on titanium and reduced to regulate hybridization type of carbon atoms to investigate its effect and possible mechanism on human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman mapping test show the increase of sp2 domains content and the decrease of their size after reduction. Through computer simulati...