Graphene-functionalized biomaterials for bone and neural tissue engineering: bridging physicomechanical properties to multifunctionality bioapplications

Recent advancements in graphene-functionalized (GNF) biomaterials have opened unprecedented avenues for bone and neural tissue regeneration. This review highlights the current advances in GNF biomaterials for bone and neural tissue regeneration in terms of their physicochemical and biological properties, and introduces the major categories of GNF biomaterials (ceramic/polymer/metal composites) and their physicochemical properties and applications in bone and neural tissue engineering. Also explored are the critical issues, challenges, and prospects in developing GNF biomaterials for bone and neural tissue engineering application. While existing reviews predominantly focus on graphene's general biomedical applications, this review uniquely addresses the dual-tissue regenerative potential of GNF biomaterials, emphasizing their synergistic physicomechanical properties and multifunctionality as well as translational challenges. First, we systematically analyze how GNF biomaterials overcome the distinct limitations of bone and neural repair: (i) For bone regeneration, GNF composites enhance mechanical strength, osteoconductivity, and antibacterial activity, while enabling photothermal tumor ablation in post-resection defects; (ii) For neural repair, GNF platforms promote electrical signal transduction, axonal guidance, and blood-brain barrier penetration, offering solutions for neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic injuries. Crucially, this review highlights three innovative dimensions: (1) Functional integration: GNF biomaterials uniquely combine antimicrobial properties, stem cell differentiation guidance, and drug delivery into a single platform, addressing infection risks, cellular microenvironment modulation, and targeted therapy simultaneously; (2) Emerging composites: Beyond conventional scaffolds, we explore cutting-edge applications such as flexible neural electrodes, degradable GNF-metal implants, and conductive hydrogels; (3) Clinical barriers: A critical discussion on long-term biocompatibility, industrial-scale synthesis, and toxicity mechanisms bridges the gap between laboratory innovation and clinical adoption. By synthesizing cross-disciplinary insights and proposing standardized evaluation frameworks, this review not only maps the current landscape but also charts a roadmap for developing clinically viable GNF-based therapies, which underscores the need for mechanistic studies on cellular interactions and large-scale safety assessments to accelerate the transition from experimental models to regenerative medicine breakthroughs.