Fabrication and characterization of bioadhesive nanocomposite membrane based on GelMA-silk nanofibrils as a bioengineered neo-corneal stroma

Introduction Due to the increasing incidence of diseases and injuries to the cornea of the human eye and the limitation of this sensitive tissue to receive medical treatments or ocular implants, as well as, corneal transplantation problems, cornea reconstruction and specifically restoration of the cornea stroma layer of the human eye is needed. Because of the stromal clarity due to the precise structure of collagen fibers and extracellular matrix, this part differs from other collagen tissues. Objective In corneal tissue engineering, using the main pillars, scaffolds, cells and growth factors, suitable tissue substitutes with the ability to imitate the structure and characteristics of the corneal extracellular matrix can overcome the disadvantages of the transplant method. Methods Nanocomposite membrane of gelma-Nano-silk fibroin is prepared by micro-molding method. In this method, the micro patterning techniques will create patterns of grid size and arbitrary shape at the scaffold surface. Also, to provide proper adhesion to the endothelium of the human cornea, alginate polymer is used to provide the adhesion desired for fixing the scaffold constructed on the host tissue, without the need for suturing. Results This dual layer membrane is expected to support the growth and propagation of keratocytes by mimicking the behavior of the normal extracellular matrix of the stroma, and, acting as a suitable scaffold, leading to the regeneration of the stroma that has been abandoned by the anomalies involved. Conclusions According to research on corneal stromal tissue engineering, the construction of bi-sticky scaffolds with sufficient transparency and the ability to accelerate tissue regeneration is still being studied

کلیدواژه ها:

Stromal ، Gelatin methacrylate ، Silk nanofibers ، Alginate ، Micro molding