Regulation of Keratocyte Phenotype and Cell Behavior by Substrate Stiffness

Mesenchymal stem cells derived-exosomes enhanced amniotic membrane extract promotes corneal keratocyte proliferation

Amniotic membrane extract (AME) and Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells derived-exosomes (WJ-MSC-Exos) are promising therapeutic solutions explored for their potential in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, particularly in skin and corneal wound healing applications. AME is an extract form of human amniotic membrane and known to contain a plethora of cytokines and growth factors, making it a highly attractive option for topical applications. Similarly, WJ-MSC-Exos have garnered significant interest for their wound healing properties. Although WJ-MSC-Exos and AME have been used separately for wound healing research, their combined synergistic effects have not been studied extensively. In this study, we evaluated the effects of both AME and WJ-MSC-Exos, individually and together, on the proliferation of corneal keratocytes as well as their ability to promote in vitro cell migration, wound healing, and their impact on cellular morphology. Our findings indicated that the presence of both exosomes (3 × 105 Exo/mL) and AME (50 μg/mL) synergistically enhance the proliferation of corneal keratocytes. Combined use of these solutions (3 × 105 Exo/mL + 50 μg/mL) increased cell proliferation compared to only 50 μg/mL AME treatment on day 3 (**** p < 0.0001). This mixture treatment (3 × 105 Exo/mL + 50 μg/mL) increased wound closure rate compared to isolated WJ-MSC-Exo treatment (3 × 105 Exo/mL) (*p < 0.05). Overall, corneal keratocytes treated with AME and WJ-MSC-Exo (3 × 105 Exo/mL + 50 μg/mL) mixture resulted in enhanced proliferation and wound healing tendency. Utilization of combined use of AME and WJ-MSC-Exo can pave the way for a promising foundation for corneal repair research.

Enhancement of lacrimal gland cell function by decellularized lacrimal gland derived hydrogel

Sustainable treatment of aqueous deficient dry eye (ADDE) represents an unmet medical need and therefore requires new curative and regenerative approaches based on appropriatein vitromodels. Tissue specific hydrogels retain the individual biochemical composition of the extracellular matrix and thus promote the inherent cell´s physiological function. Hence, we created a decellularized lacrimal gland (LG) hydrogel (dLG-HG) meeting the requirements for a bioink as the basis of a LG model with potential forin vitroADDE studies. Varying hydrolysis durations were compared to obtain dLG-HG with best possible physical and ultrastructural properties while preserving the original biochemical composition. A particular focus was placed on dLG-HG´s impact on viability and functionality of LG associated cell types with relevance for a futurein vitromodel in comparison to the unspecific single component hydrogel collagen type-I (Col) and the common cell culture substrate Matrigel. Proliferation of LG epithelial cells (EpC), LG mesenchymal stem cells, and endothelial cells cultured on dLG-HG was enhanced compared to culture on Matrigel. Most importantly with respect to a functionalin vitromodel, the secretion capacity of EpC cultured on dLG-HG was higher than that of EpC cultured on Col or Matrigel. In addition to these promising cell related properties, a rapid matrix metalloproteinase-dependent biodegradation was observed, which on the one hand suggests a lively cell-matrix interaction, but on the other hand limits the cultivation period. Concluding, dLG-HG possesses decisive properties for the tissue engineering of a LGin vitromodel such as cytocompatibility and promotion of secretion, making it superior to unspecific cell culture substrates. However, deceleration of biodegradation should be addressed in future experiments.

Introducing Dynamicity: Engineering Stress Relaxation Into Hydrogels Via Thiol-Ene Modified Alginate for Mechanobiological in vitro Modeling of the Cornea

Developing biomaterials for corneal repair and regeneration is crucial for maintaining clear vision. The cornea, a specialized tissue, relies on corneal keratocytes, that respond to their mechanical environment. Altering stiffness affects keratocyte behavior, but static stiffness alone cannot capture the dynamic properties of in vivo tissue. This study proposes that the cornea exhibits time-dependent mechanical properties, similar to other tissues, and aims to replicate these properties in potential therapeutic matrices. First, the cornea's stress relaxation properties are investigated using nanoindentation, revealing 15% relaxation within 10 seconds. Hydrogel dynamicity is then modulated using a specially formulated alginate-PEG and alginate-norbornene mixture. The tuning of the hydrogel's dynamicity is achieved through a photoinitiated norbornene-norbornene dimerization reaction, resulting in relaxation times ranging from 30 seconds to 10 minutes. Human primary corneal keratocytes are cultured on these hydrogels, demonstrating reduced αSMA (alpha smooth muscle actin) expression and increased filopodia formation on slower relaxing hydrogels, resembling their native phenotype. This in vitro model can enable the optimization of stress relaxation for various cell types, including corneal keratocytes, to control tissue formation. Combining stress relaxation optimization with stiffness assessment provides a more accurate tool for studying cell behavior and reduces mechanical mismatch with native tissues in implanted constructs.

Titanium Boston keratoprosthesis with corneal cell adhesive and bactericidal dual coating

The Boston keratoprosthesis (BKPro) is a medical device used to restore vision in complicated cases of corneal blindness. This device is composed by a front plate of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and a backplate usually made of titanium (Ti). Ti is an excellent biomaterial with numerous applications, although there are not many studies that address its interaction with ocular cells. In this regard, despite the good retention rates of the BKPro, two main complications compromise patients' vision and the viability of the prosthesis: imperfect adhesion of the corneal tissue to the upside of the backplate and infections. Thus, in this work, two topographies (smooth and rough) were generated on Ti samples and tested with or without functionalization with a dual peptide platform. This molecule consists of a branched structure that links two peptide moieties to address the main complications associated with BKPro: the well-known RGD peptide in its cyclic version (cRGD) as cell pro-adherent motif and the first 11 residues of lactoferrin (LF1-11) as antibacterial motif. Samples were physicochemically characterized, and their biological response was evaluated in vitro with human corneal keratocytes (HCKs) and against the gram-negative bacterial strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The physicochemical characterization allowed to verify the functionalization in a qualitative and quantitative manner. A higher amount of peptide was anchored to the rough surfaces. The studies performed using HCKs showed increased long-term proliferation on the functionalized samples. Gene expression was affected by topography and peptide functionalization. Roughness promoted α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) overexpression, and the coating notably increased the expression of extracellular matrix components (ECM). Such changes may favour the development of unwanted fibrosis, and thus, corneal haze. In contrast, the combination of the coating with a rough topography decreased the expression of α-SMA and ECM components, which would be desirable for the long-term success of the prosthesis. Regarding the antibacterial activity, the functionalized smooth and rough surfaces promoted the death of bacteria, as well as a perturbation in their wall definition and cellular morphology. Bacterial killing values were 58 % for smooth functionalised and 68 % for rough functionalised samples. In summary, this study suggests that the use of the dual peptide platform with cRGD and LF1-11 could be a good strategy to improve the in vitro and in vivo performance of the rough topography used in the commercial BKPro.

Interleukin-11 Suppresses Ocular Surface Inflammation and Accelerates Wound Healing

Purpose

Regulation of inflammation is critical for achieving favorable outcomes in wound healing. In this study, we determine the functional role and mechanism of action of IL-11, an immunomodulatory cytokine, in regulating inflammatory response at the ocular surface.

Methods

Corneal injury was induced by mechanical removal of the epithelium and anterior stroma using an AlgerBrush II. Transcript and protein levels of IL-11 in injured cornea were quantified using real-time PCR and ELISA analysis. Corneal inflammation was assessed by measuring frequencies of total CD45+ inflammatory cells, CD11b+Ly6G+ polymorphonuclear cells (neutrophils), and CD11b+Ly6G- mononuclear cells (macrophages, monocytes) at the ocular surface using flow cytometry. To assess the effect of IL-11 on innate immune cell function, cell activation marker and inflammatory cytokines including major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, myeloperoxidase (MPO), TNFα, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were measured following recombinant IL-11 treatment (1 µg/mL). Injured corneas were topically treated with IL-11 (1 µg/mL), and wound healing was evaluated using corneal fluorescein staining.

Results

Corneal injury resulted in increased levels of IL-11 in the cornea, particularly in the stroma. Neutrophils and CD11b+ mononuclear cells (macrophages, monocytes) substantially expressed IL-11 receptor. Interestingly, IL-11 significantly downregulated the activation of immune cells, as evidenced by the lower expression of MHC II and TNFα by CD11b+ mononuclear cells and lower levels of MPO by neutrophils. Topical administration of IL-11 to injured corneas led to faster wound healing and better retention of tissue architecture.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate IL-11 is a key modulator of ocular surface inflammation and provide novel evidence of IL-11 as a potential therapeutic to control inflammatory damage and accelerate wound repair following injury.

Silk Nanofiber Scaffolds with Multiple Angiogenic Cues to Accelerate Wound Regeneration

Niches with multiple physical and chemical cues can influence the fate of cells and tissues in vivo. Simulating the in vivo niche in the design of bioactive materials is a challenge, particularly to tune multiple cues simultaneously in the same system. Here, an assembly strategy was developed to regulate multiple cues in the same scaffold based on the use of two silk nanofiber components that respond differently during the fabrication processes. An aqueous solution containing the two components, amorphous silk nanofibers (ASNFs) and β-sheet-rich silk nanofibers (BSNFs), was sequentially treated with an electrical field and freeze-drying processes where the BSNFs oriented to the electrical field, while the ASNFs formed stable porous structures during the lyophilization process to impact the mechanical properties. Bioactive cargo, such as deferoxamine (DFO), was loaded on the BSNFs to enrich cell responses with the scaffolds. The in vitro results revealed that the loaded DFO and the anisotropic structures with improved mechanical properties resulted in better vascularization than those of the scaffolds without the anisotropic features. The multiple cues in the scaffolds provided angiogenic niches to accelerate wound healing.

Unravelling the Impact of Cyclic Mechanical Stretch in Keratoconus-A Transcriptomic Profiling Study

Biomechanical and molecular stresses may contribute to the pathogenesis of keratoconus (KC). We aimed to profile the transcriptomic changes in healthy primary human corneal (HCF) and KC-derived cells (HKC) combined with TGFβ1 treatment and cyclic mechanical stretch (CMS), mimicking the pathophysiological condition in KC. HCFs (n = 4) and HKCs (n = 4) were cultured in flexible-bottom collagen-coated 6-well plates treated with 0, 5, and 10 ng/mL of TGFβ1 with or without 15% CMS (1 cycle/s, 24 h) using a computer-controlled Flexcell FX-6000T Tension system. We used stranded total RNA-Seq to profile expression changes in 48 HCF/HKC samples (100 bp PE, 70-90 million reads per sample), followed by bioinformatics analysis using an established pipeline with Partek Flow software. A multi-factor ANOVA model, including KC, TGFβ1 treatment, and CMS, was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs, |fold change| ≥ 1.5, FDR ≤ 0.1, CPM ≥ 10 in ≥1 sample) in HKCs (n = 24) vs. HCFs (n = 24) and those responsive to TGFβ1 and/or CMS. PANTHER classification system and the DAVID bioinformatics resources were used to identify significantly enriched pathways (FDR ≤ 0.05). Using multi-factorial ANOVA analyses, 479 DEGs were identified in HKCs vs. HCFs including TGFβ1 treatment and CMS as cofactors. Among these DEGs, 199 KC-altered genes were responsive to TGFβ1, thirteen were responsive to CMS, and six were responsive to TGFβ1 and CMS. Pathway analyses using PANTHER and DAVID indicated the enrichment of genes involved in numerous KC-relevant functions, including but not limited to degradation of extracellular matrix, inflammatory response, apoptotic processes, WNT signaling, collagen fibril organization, and cytoskeletal structure organization. TGFβ1-responsive KC DEGs were also enriched in these. CMS-responsive KC-altered genes such as OBSCN, CLU, HDAC5, AK4, ITGA10, and F2RL1 were identified. Some KC-altered genes, such as CLU and F2RL1, were identified to be responsive to both TGFβ1 and CMS. For the first time, our multi-factorial RNA-Seq study has identified many KC-relevant genes and pathways in HKCs with TGFβ1 treatment under CMS, suggesting a potential role of TGFβ1 and biomechanical stretch in KC development.

Hydroxycamptothecin and Substratum Stiffness Synergistically Regulate Fibrosis of Human Corneal Fibroblasts

Corneal fibrosis is a common outcome of inappropriate repair associated with trauma or ocular infection. Altered biomechanical properties with increased corneal stiffness is a feature of fibrosis that cause corneal opacities, resulting in severe visual impairment and even blindness. The present study aims to determine the effect of hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) and matrix stiffness on transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced fibrotic processes in human corneal fibroblasts (HTK cells). HTK cells were cultured on substrates with different stiffnesses ("soft", ∼261 kPa; "stiff", ∼2.5 × 10³ kPa) and on tissue culture plastic (TCP, ∼10⁶ kPa) and simultaneously treated with or without 1 μg/mL HCPT and 10 ng/mL TGF-β1. We found that HCPT induced decreased cell viability and antiproliferative effects on HTK cells. TGF-β1-induced expression of fibrosis-related genes (FN1, ACTA2) was reduced if the cells were simultaneously treated with HCPT. Substrate stiffness did not affect the expression of fibrosis-related genes. The TGF-β1 induced expression of FN1 on both soft and stiff substrates was reduced if cells were simultaneously treated with HCPT. However, this trend was not seen for ACTA2, i.e., the TGF-β1 induced expression of ACTA2 was not reduced by simultaneous treatment of HCPT in either soft or stiff substrate. Instead, HCPT treatment in the presence of TGF-β1 resulted in increased gene expression of keratocyte phenotype makers (LUM, KERA, AQP1, CHTS6) on both substrate stiffnesses. In addition, the protein expression of keratocyte phenotype makers LUM and ALDH3 was increased in HTK cells simultaneously treated with TGF-β1 and HCPT on stiff substrate as compared to control, i.e., without HCPT. In conclusion, we found that HCPT can reduce TGF-β1-induced fibrosis and promote the keratocyte phenotype in a substrate stiffness dependent manner. Thus, HCPT stimulation might be an approach to stimulate keratocytes in the appropriate healing stage to avoid or reverse fibrosis and achieve more optimal corneal wound healing.

Regulation of the Keratocyte Phenotype and Cell Behavior Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells by Substrate Stiffness

Substrate stiffness has been indicated as an important factor to control stem cell fate, including proliferation and differentiation. To optimize the stiffness for the differentiation process from h-iPSCs (human induced pluripotent stem cells) into h-iCSCs (human corneal stromal cells derived from h-iPSCs) and the phenotypic maintenance of h-iCSCs in vitro, h-iPSCs were cultured on matrigel-coated tissue culture plate (TCP) (10⁶ kPa), matrigel-coated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) 184 (1250 kPa), and matrigel-coated PDMS 527 (4 kPa) before they were differentiated to h-iCSCs. Immunofluorescence staining, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and western blot demonstrated that the stiffer substrate TCP promoted the h-iCSCs' differentiation from h-iPSCs. On the contrary, softer PDMS 527 was more effective to maintain the phenotype of h-iCSCs cultured in vitro. Finally, we cultured h-iCSCs on PDMS 527 until P3 and seeded them on a biomimetic collagen membrane to form the single-layer and multiple-layer bioengineered corneal stroma with high transparency properties and cell survival rate. In conclusion, the study is helpful for differentiating h-iPSCs to h-iCSCs and corneal tissue engineering by manipulating stiffness mechanobiology.

Unraveling the mechanobiology of cornea: From bench side to the clinic

The cornea is a transparent, dome-shaped structure on the front part of the eye that serves as a major optic element and a protector from the external environment. Recent evidence shows aberrant alterations of the corneal mechano-environment in development and progression of various corneal diseases. It is, thus, critical to understand how corneal cells sense and respond to mechanical signals in physiological and pathological conditions. In this review, we summarize the corneal mechano-environment and discuss the impact of these mechanical cues on cellular functions from the bench side (in a laboratory research setting). From a clinical perspective, we comprehensively review the mechanical changes of corneal tissue in several cornea-related diseases, including keratoconus, myopia, and keratectasia, following refractive surgery. The findings from the bench side and clinic underscore the involvement of mechanical cues in corneal disorders, which may open a new avenue for development of novel therapeutic strategies by targeting corneal mechanics.

ECM stiffness modulates the proliferation but not the motility of primary corneal keratocytes in response to PDGF-BB

During corneal wound healing, keratocytes present within the corneal stroma become activated into a repair phenotype upon the release of growth factors, such as transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB). The process of injury and repair can lead to changes in the mechanical properties of the tissue, and previous work has shown that the TGF-β1-mediated myofibroblast differentiation of corneal keratocytes depends on substratum stiffness. It is still unclear, however, if changes in stiffness can modulate keratocyte behavior in response to other growth factors, such as PDGF-BB. Here, we used a polyacrylamide (PA) gel system to determine whether changes in stiffness influence the proliferation and motility of primary corneal keratocytes treated with PDGF-BB. In the presence of PDGF-BB, cells on stiffer substrata exhibited a more elongated morphology and had higher rates of proliferation than cells in a more compliant microenvironment. Using a freeze-injury to assay cell motility, however, we did not observe any stiffness-dependent differences in the migration of keratocytes treated with PDGF-BB. Taken together, these data highlight the importance of biophysical cues during corneal wound healing and suggest that keratocytes respond differently to changes in ECM stiffness in the presence of different growth factors.

Advances in Regulatory Strategies of Differentiating Stem Cells towards Keratocytes

Corneal injury is a commonly encountered clinical problem which led to vision loss and impairment that affects millions of people worldwide. Currently, the available treatment in clinical practice is corneal transplantation, which is limited by the accessibility of donors. Corneal tissue engineering appears to be a promising alternative for corneal repair. However, current experimental strategies of corneal tissue engineering are insufficient due to inadequate differentiation of stem cell into keratocytes and thus cannot be applied in clinical practice. In this review, we aim to clarify the role and effectiveness of both biochemical factors, physical regulation, and the combination of both to induce stem cells to differentiate into keratocytes. We will also propose novel perspectives of differentiation strategy that may help to improve the efficiency of corneal tissue engineering.

Cell-cell adhesion impacts epithelia response to substrate stiffness: Morphology and gene expression

Monolayer epithelial cells interact constantly with the substrate they reside on and their surrounding neighbors. As such, the properties of epithelial cells are profoundly governed by the mechanical and molecular cues that arise from both the substrate and contiguous cell neighbors. Although both cell-substrate and cell-cell interactions have been studied individually, these results are difficult to apply to native confluent epithelia, in which both jointly regulate the cell phenotype. Specifically, it remains poorly understood about the intertwined contributions from intercellular adhesion and substrate stiffness on cell morphology and gene expression, two essential microenvironment properties. Here, by adjusting the substrate modulus and altering the intercellular adhesion within confluent kidney epithelia, we found that cell-substrate and cell-cell interactions can mask each other's influence. For example, we found that epithelial cells exhibit an elongated morphological phenotype only when the substrate modulus and intercellular adhesions are both reduced, whereas their motility can be upregulated by either reduction. These results illustrate that combinatorial changes of the physical microenvironment are required to alter cell morphology and gene expression.

Relationship of matrix stiffness and cell morphology in regulation of osteogenesis and adipogenesis of BMSCs

BACKGROUNDS

Matrix stiffness has been found to regulate cell morphology, while both cell morphology and matrix stiffness are verified as important factors directing BMSCs (bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells) differentiation. This study aimed to investigate whether matrix stiffness depended on cell morphology to regulate osteogenesis and adipogenesis of BMSCs on 2D substrates.

METHODS AND RESULTS

First, we seeded BMSCs on tissue culture plates (TCPs) with different fibronectin (FN) concentrations and cytoskeleton inhibitor cytochalasin D, and FN was found to promote cell spreading and osteogenesis while inhibiting adipogenesis of BMSCs through F-actin reorganization. Based on these, we modulated BMSCs morphology on 0.5 kPa and 32 kPa CytoSoft® substrates through FN. High concentration of FN (300 μg/ml) coated on 0.5 kPa substrates promoted cell spreading to similar levels with 32 kPa substrates coated with 100 μg/ml of FN, and cells in both groups dominantly commit osteogenesis. On the other hand, low FN concentration (30 μg/ml) on 32 kPa substrates induced restricted cell morphology similar with 0.5 kPa substrates coated with 100 μg/ml of FN, and cells in both groups mainly commit adipogenesis. Immunofluorescence indicated nuclear translocation and higher intensity of YAP/TAZ when cells spread to larger areas, regardless of matrix stiffness. However, when cell spreading areas were fixed as similar levels, matrix stiffness didn't significantly affect YAP/TAZ intensity or location.

CONCLUSIONS

Matrix stiffness failed to regulate BMSCs differentiation and YAP/TAZ activity without corresponding cell morphology. Cell spreading area could mediate effects of matrix stiffness on osteogenesis and adipogenesis of BMSCs.

Preparation and In Vitro Characterization of Gelatin Methacrylate for Corneal Tissue Engineering

BACKGROUND

Corneal disease is second only to cataract considered as the leading cause of blindness in the world, with high morbidity. Construction of corneal substitutes in vitro by tissue engineering technology to achieve corneal regeneration has become a research hotspot in recent years. We conducted in-depth research on the biocompatibility, physicochemical and mechanical properties of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBM-MSCs)-seeded gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) as a bioengineered cornea.

METHODS

Four kinds of GelMA with different concentrations (7, 10, 15 and 30%) were prepared, and their physic-chemical, optical properties, and biocompatibility with rBM-MSCs were characterized. MTT, live/dead staining, cell morphology, immunofluorescence staining and gene expression of keratocyte markers were performed.

RESULTS

7%GelMA hydrogel had higher equilibrium water content and porosity, better optical properties and hydrophilicity. In addition, it is more beneficial to the growth and proliferation of rBM-MSCs. However, the 30%GelMA hydrogel had the best mechanical properties, and could be more conducive to promote the differentiation of rBM-MSCs into keratocyte-like cells.

CONCLUSION

As a natural biological scaffold, GelMA hydrogel has good biocompatibility. And it has the ability to promote the differentiation of rBM-MSCs into keratocyte-like cells, which laid a theoretical and experimental foundation for further tissue-engineered corneal stromal transplantation, and provided a new idea for the source of seeded cells in corneal tissue engineering.

Mechanical Properties of Bioengineered Corneal Stroma

For the majority of patients with severe corneal injury or disease, corneal transplantation is the only suitable treatment option. Unfortunately, the demand for donor corneas greatly exceeds the availability. To overcome shortage issues, a myriad of bioengineered constructs have been developed as mimetics of the corneal stroma over the last few decades. Despite the sheer number of bioengineered stromas developed , these implants fail clinical trials exhibiting poor tissue integration and adverse effects in vivo. Such shortcomings can partially be ascribed to poor biomechanical performance. In this review, existing approaches for bioengineering corneal stromal constructs and their mechanical properties are described. The information collected in this review can be used to critically analyze the biomechanical properties of future stromal constructs, which are often overlooked, but can determine the failure or success of corresponding implants.

Investigation of cellular morphology and proliferation on patterned electrospun PLA-gelatin mats

The morphology and proliferation of eukaryotic cells depend on their microenvironment. When electrospun mats are used as tissue engineering scaffolds, the local alignment of the fibers has a pronounced influence on cells. Here we analyzed the morphology of the patterned mats produced by electrospinning of PLA-gelatin blend onto a conductive grid. We investigated the cellular morphology and proliferation of two cell lines (keratinocytes HaCaT and fibroblasts NIH 3T3) on the patterned mats. The non-patterned mats of the same chemical composition were used as control ones. The HaCaT cells predominantly grew on convex areas of the patterned mats along with increasing their nucleus area and decreasing cell area. The 3T3 cells had a lower proliferative rate when grown on the patterned mats. The results can be valuable for further development of the procedures, which allow the patterned electrospun mats development as well as for the investigation of cell-substrate interactions.

Cytocompatibility and Suitability of Protein-Based Biomaterials as Potential Candidates for Corneal Tissue Engineering

The vision impairments suffered by millions of people worldwide and the shortage of corneal donors show the need of substitutes that mimic native tissue to promote cell growth and subsequent tissue regeneration. The current study focused on the in vitro assessment of protein-based biomaterials that could be a potential source for corneal scaffolds. Collagen, soy protein isolate (SPI), and gelatin films cross-linked with lactose or citric acid were prepared and physicochemical, transmittance, and degradation measurements were carried out. In vitro cytotoxicity, cell adhesion, and migration studies were performed with human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells and 3T3 fibroblasts for the films’ cytocompatibility assessment. Transmittance values met the cornea’s needs, and the degradation profile revealed a progressive biomaterials’ decomposition in enzymatic and hydrolytic assays. Cell viability at 72 h was above 70% when exposed to SPI and gelatin films. Live/dead assays and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis demonstrated the adhesion of both cell types to the films, with a similar arrangement to that observed in controls. Besides, both cell lines were able to proliferate and migrate over the films. Without ruling out any material, the appropriate optical and biological properties shown by lactose-crosslinked gelatin film highlight its potential for corneal bioengineering.