The electrospinning of hybrid polymers is a versatile fabrication technique which takes advantage of the biological properties of natural polymers and the mechanical properties of synthetic polymers. However, the literature is scarce when it comes to comparisons of blends regarding coatings and the improvements offered thereby in terms of cellular performance. To address this, in the present study, nanofibrous electrospun scaffolds of polycaprolactone (PCL), their coating and their blend with gelatin were compared. The morphology of nanofibrous scaffolds was analyzed under field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), indicating the influence of the presence of gelatin. The scaffolds were mechanically tested with tensile tests; PCL and PCL gelatin coated scaffolds showed higher elastic moduli than PCL/gelatin meshes. Viability of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) was evaluated by MTT assay, and cell proliferation on the scaffold was confirmed by fluorescence staining. The positive results of the MTT assay and cell growth indicated that the scaffolds of PCL/gelatin excelled in comparison to other scaffolds, and may serve as good candidates for tissue engineering applications.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and is characterized by the progressive degeneration of the optic nerve. Intraocular pressure (IOP), which is considered to be the main risk factor for glaucoma development, builds up in response to the resistance (resistance to what?) provided by the trabecular meshwork (TM) to aqueous humor (AH) outflow. Although the TM and its relationship to AH outflow have remained at the forefront of scientific interest, researchers remain uncertain regarding which mechanisms drive the deterioration of the TM. Current tissue‐engineering fabrication techniques have come up with promising approaches to successfully recreate the TM. Nonetheless, more accurate models are needed to understand the factors that make glaucoma arise. In this review, we provide a chronological evaluation of the technological milestones that have taken place in the field of glaucoma research, and we conduct a comprehensive comparison of available TM fabrication technologies. Additionally, we also discuss AH perfusion platforms, since they are essential for the validation of these scaffolds, as well as pressure–outflow relationship studies and the discovery of new IOP‐reduction therapies.
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world according to the World Health Organization. It is characterized by the progressive degeneration of the optic nerve and despite the significant advances in the field, a cure for glaucoma remains to be found. The trabecular meshwork (TM) has been identified as the key tissue that drives pressure regulation in eye. In this review, we look over the main role of the aforementioned meshwork, as well as its outflow physiology and pathology. Research in the field of glaucoma has mostly progressed by employing animal models. However, these models are often expensive, cumbersome and exhibit a high intra-species variability. The lack of 3D in vitro models complicates the study of TM pressure regulation mechanisms, which makes it difficult to make progress in glaucoma research. In this paper, we review the time evolution of glaucoma models and discuss the ways in which tissue engineering fabrication techniques can be applied to create an artificial TM that serves as a 3D in vitro model. We also study possible outflow evaluation systems that are valid for both scaffold testing and drug screening, which may improve the understanding of TM biology.
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