Graphene Hybrid Inner Ear Organoid with Enhanced Maturity
Sunho Park, Yeon Ju Kim, Harshita Sharma, Dream Kim, Yonghyun Gwon, Woochan Kim, Sangbae Park, Cheol Woo Ha, Yun‐Hoon Choung, Jangho Kim
Abstract
, which can mimic the complex cellular structure and function of the inner ear. IEOs are potential solutions to problems related to inner ear development, disease modeling, and drug delivery. However, current approaches in generating IEOs using chemical factors have a few limitations, resulting in unpredictable outcomes. In this study, we propose the use of nanomaterial-based approaches, specifically by using graphene oxide (GO). GO's unique properties promote cell-extracellular matrix interactions and cell-cell gap junctions, thereby enhancing hair cell formation, which is an essential part of IEO development. We also investigated the potential applications for drug testing. Our findings suggest that GO is a promising candidate for enhancing the functionality of IEOs and advancing our understanding of the problems underlying inner ear development. The use of nanomaterial-based approaches may provide a more reliable and effective method for building better IEOs in the future.