Ophthalmic Applications of Biomaterials in Regenerative Medicine

Biomaterials for ocular reconstruction

“…There is an argument that the use of a biostable substrate may be more appropriate to provide long-term protection of the transplanted RPE cells [2]. A number of biostable polymers have been evaluated including commercially available poly(urethane) [133], poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) [134] and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) [135].…”

“…Several studies have focused on finding the optimum synthetic material for supporting RPE transplantation. This has involved both degradable and biostable materials and there is a debate about which is the more appropriate strategy [2]. Polymers from the aliphatic polyester family including Poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) and Poly(D,L-lacticglycolic acid) (PLGA) have been shown to retain morphological, structural and functional features of RPE cells [127].…”

“…Regenerative medicine strategies have been investigated for the ocular surface and other tissues such as the retina and the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell layer under the retina. For these strategies to work it is essential that the biomaterial scaffold can support the cell adhesion, growth and maintenance of the correct phenotype to promote tissue replacement and integration with the surrounding tissues [2,3]. For replacement of the lens and the vitreous the approach has been to optimise the properties of the biomaterial to moderate the cellular response and restore the transfer of light to the neurosensory tissues.…”