Design and evaluation of artificial cornea with core–skirt design using polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate and graphite

Application of biomaterials and nanotechnology in corneal tissue engineering

Corneal diseases are among the most common causes of blindness worldwide. Regardless of the etiology, corneal opacity- or globe integrity-threatening conditions may necessitate corneal replacement procedures. Several procedure types are currently available to address these issues, based on the complexity and extent of injury. Corneal allograft or keratoplasty is considered to be first-line treatment in many cases. However, a significant proportion of the world's population are reported to have no access to this option due to limitations in donor preparation. Thus, providing an appropriate, safe, and efficient synthetic implant (e.g., artificial cornea) may revolutionize this field. Nanotechnology, with its potential applications, has garnered a lot of recent attention in this area, however, there is seemingly a long way to go. This narrative review provides a brief overview of the therapeutic interventions for corneal pathologies, followed by a summary of current biomaterials used in corneal regeneration and a discussion of the nanotechnologies that can aid in the production of superior implants.

Multilayer Methacrylate-Based Wound Dressing as a Therapeutic Tool for Targeted Pain Relief

This study presents an innovative wound dressing system that offers a highly effective therapeutic solution for treating painful wounds. By incorporating the widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, we have created an active wound dressing that can provide targeted pain relief with ease. The drug was embedded within a biocompatible matrix composed of polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate and polyhydroxypropyl methacrylate. The multilayer structure of the dressing, which allows for sustained drug release and an exact application, was achieved through the layer-by-layer coating technique and the inclusion of superparamagnetic iron platinum nanoparticles. The multilayered dressings' physicochemical, structural, and morphological properties were characterised using various methods. The synergistic effect of the incorporated drug molecules and superparamagnetic nanoparticles on the surface roughness and release kinetics resulted in controlled drug release. In addition, the proposed multilayer wound dressings were found to be biocompatible with human skin fibroblasts. Our findings suggest that the developed wound dressing system can contribute to tailored therapeutic strategies for local pain relief.

Characterization of Tunable Poly-ε-Lysine-Based Hydrogels for Corneal Tissue Engineering

A family of poly-ε-lysine hydrogels can be synthesized by crosslinking with bis-carboxylic acids using carbodiimide chemistry. In addition to creating hydrogels using a simple cast method, a fragmented method is used to introduce increased porosity within the hydrogel structure. Both methods have created tunable characteristics ranging in their mechanical properties, transparency, and water content, which is of interest to corneal tissue engineering and can be tailored to specific cellular needs and applications. With a worldwide shortage of cornea donor tissue available for transplant and limitations including rejection and potential infection, a synthetic material that can be used as a graft, or a partial thickness corneal replacement, would be an advantageous treatment method. These hydrogels can be tuned to have similar mechanical and transparency properties to the human cornea. They also support the attachment and growth of corneal epithelial cells and the integration of corneal stromal cells.

Reduced graphene oxide membranes in ocular regenerative medicine

Biological membranes are currently used in Ophthalmology in order to treat different ocular disorders. These membranes have different properties such as cellular biocompatibility and promoting wound healing. Moreover, intrinsic antimicrobial properties could also be desirable because it would allow their use reducing the risk of infections. Graphene and its derivatives are promising biomaterials that already proved their bactericidal effect. However, their clinical use is limited due to the controversial results regarding their toxicity. In this work, we have developed and characterized a reduced graphene oxide membrane (rGOM) for its use in ocular Regenerative Medicine, and studied its in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility and genotoxicity with different types of human ocular cells. We proved that rGOM allowed the growth of different ocular cells without inducing in vitro or in vivo cytotoxicity or genotoxicity in the short-term. These results indicate that rGOM may be a promising candidate in Regenerative Medicine for the treatment of different ocular pathologies.

The potential role of bioengineering and three-dimensional printing in curing global corneal blindness

An insufficiency of accessible allograft tissue for corneal transplantation leaves many impaired by untreated corneal disease. There is promise in the field of regenerative medicine for the development of autologous corneal tissue grafts or collagen-based scaffolds. Another approach is to create a suitable corneal implant that meets the refractive needs of the cornea and is integrated into the surrounding tissue but does not attempt to perfectly mimic the native cornea on a cellular level. Materials that have been investigated for use in the latter concept include natural polymers such as gelatin, semisynthetic polymers like gelatin methacrylate, and synthetic polymers. There are advantages and disadvantages inherent in natural and synthetic polymers: natural polymers are generally more biodegradable and biocompatible, while synthetic polymers typically provide greater control over the characteristics or property adjustment of the materials. Additive manufacturing could aid in the precision production of keratoprostheses and the personalization of implants.