  Graphene displays properties which make it appealing for neuroregenerative
medicine, yet its interaction with peripheral neurons has been scarcely
investigated. Here, we culture on graphene two established models for
peripheral neurons: PC12 cells and DRG primary neurons. We perform a
nano-resolved analysis of polymeric coatings on graphene and combine optical
microscopy and viability assays to assess the material cytocompatibility and
influence on differentiation. We find that differentiated PC12 cells display a
remarkably increased neurite length on graphene (up to 35%) with respect to
controls. DRG primary neurons survive both on bare and coated graphene and
present dense axonal networks.
