title: Towards an artificial cornea: surface modifications of optically clear, oxygen permeable soft contact lens materials by ammonia plasma modification technique for the enhanced attachment and growth of corneal epithelial cells.
abstract: The advent of high water content, oxygen permeable contact lens materials has made the intracorneal implants more feasible. A major obstacle encountered is the regrowth of a stable epithelium over the implant. Therefore, ammonia gaseous plasma modification technique was used to modify the surface chemical properties of soft contact lens material such as poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid), PHEMA-MAA copolymer, in an attempt to enhance the cell attachment and growth of rabbit corneal epithelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Artificial Cells and Organs Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sipehia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garfinkle
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic; D003315:Cornea; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004848:Epithelium / Q000254:growth & development; D008422:Materials Testing; D008689:Methacrylates; D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011817:Rabbits; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D008689:Methacrylates; D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate; C059480:poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methacrylic acid)hydrogel; D000641:Ammonia