Journal
JOURNAL OF TISSUE ENGINEERING AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
Volume 6, Issue 9, Pages 731-737Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/term.479
Keywords
amniotic membrane; optical clearing; dehydration; cross-linking; transparency; tensile strength; collagen; cornea
Categories
Funding
- Health and Labour Sciences Research Grants of Japan at Tohoku University
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan
- MEXT, Japan
- EPSRC grant at Cardiff University
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The aim of this study was to develop a method for refining the optical and mechanical properties of human amniotic membrane (AM) to provide ophthalmic transparent implants for use during severe donor cornea shortages. AM was allowed to gradually dehydrate at 4-8?degrees C with and without chemical cross-linking. To improve the transparency of AM, a simple dehydration process using a refrigerator at 4-8?degrees C overnight was examined. For further improvements, dehydrated AM was then cross-linked with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide and N-hydroxy-succimide before rehydration. Light transmittance and tensile strength of individual specimens were evaluated. Light transmittance of AM improved from 50.9-77.7% at 550?nm by this simple low temperature dehydration process. Its high light transmittance was partially maintained at 70.1%, even after rehydration with normal saline. Interestingly, chemically cross-linked AM showed a significantly greater light transmittance of 81.5% under wet conditions. In addition, tensile strength was significantly increased after cross-linking from 2.32?N/mm2 (native tissue) to 11.78?N/mm2 (cross-linked specimens). Light transmittance and tensile strength were successfully improved by these approaches, including low temperature dehydration with and without chemical cross-linking. The use of refined AM could be feasible for use in current and future ophthalmic treatments. Copyright (c) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available