Affiliation:
1. Department of Ophthalmology the Third Medical Center Chinese PLA General Hospital Beijing 100039 China
2. The Air Force Hospital of Southern Theater Command Guangzhou Guangdong 510050 China
3. School of Biomedical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 China
4. Laboratory of Cell Fate Control School of Life Sciences Westlake University Hangzhou 310024 China
5. The School of Medicine Nankai University Tianjin 300350 China
6. Department of Biomedical Engineering Department of Pathology School of Medicine Johns Hopkins University Baltimore MD 21218 USA
Abstract
AbstractBullous keratopathy, a condition severely impacting vision and potentially leading to corneal blindness, necessitates corneal transplantation. However, the shortage of donor corneas and complex surgical procedures drive the exploration of tissue‐engineered corneal endothelial layers. This study develops a transparent, amphiphilic, and cell‐free membrane for corneal endothelial replacement. The membrane, securely attached to the posterior surface of the cornea, is created by mixing hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and ethylene glycol dimethylacrylate (EGDMA) in a 10:1 ratio. A 50 µL volume is used to obtain a 60 µm hydrophobic membrane on both sides, with one side treated with a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) solution. The resulting membrane is transparent, foldable, biocompatible, amphiphilic, and easily handled. When exposed to 20% sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), the hydrophilic side of the membrane adheres tightly to the corneal Descemet's membrane, preventing water absorption into the corneal stroma, and thus treating bullous keratopathy. Histological test confirms its effectiveness, showing normal corneal structure and low inflammation when implanted in rabbits for up to 100 d. This study showcases the potential of this membrane as a viable option for corneal endothelial replacement, offering a novel approach to address donor tissue scarcity in corneal transplantation.