Carbon-based　functional　nanomaterials　have　attracted　immense　scientific　interest　from　many　disciplines　and,　due　to　their　extraordinary　properties,　have　offered　tremendous　potential　in　a　diverse　range　of　applications.　Among　the　different　carbon　nanomaterials,　graphene　is　one　of　the　newest　and　is　considered　the　most　important.　Graphene,　a　monolayer　material　composed　of　sp(2)-hybridized　carbon　atoms　hexagonally　arranged　in　a　two-dimensional　structure,　can　be　easily　functionalized　by　chemical　modification.　Functionalized　graphene　and　its　derivatives　have　been　used　in　diverse　nano-biotechnological　applications,　such　as　in　environmental　engineering,　biomedicine,　and　biotechnology.　However,　the　prospective　use　of　graphene-related　materials　in　a　biological　context　requires　a　detailed　comprehension　of　these　materials,　which　is　essential　for　expanding　their　biomedical　applications　in　the　future.　In　recent　years,　the　number　of　biological　studies　involving　graphene-related　nanomaterials　has　rapidly　increased.　These　studies　have　documented　the　effects　of　the　biological　interactions　between　graphene-related　materials　and　different　organizational　levels　of　living　systems,　ranging　from　biomolecules　to　animals.　In　the　present　review,　we　will　summarize　the　recent　progress　in　understanding　mainly　the　interactions　between　graphene　and　cells.　The　impact　of　graphene　on　intracellular　components,　and　especially　the　uptake　and　transport　of　graphene　by　cells,　will　be　discussed　in　detail.　(C)　2016　The　Authors.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　This　is　an　open　access　article　under　the　CC　BY-NC-ND　license.