title: Ocular cell monolayers cultured on biodegradable substrates.
abstract: The aim of this study was to culture retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) and corneal endothelial cells on biodegradable substrates for future use in monolayer transplantation in the eye. The biodegradable polymers, poly-l-lactic (PLLA) and poly-dl-lactic-co-glycolic acid (85:15) (PLGA) (both of molecular weight 105 kd) were the biomaterials used. All materials were seeded with either pig/human retinal pigment epithelial cells or rabbit corneal endothelial cells and were maintained in tissue culture conditions. Upon confluency, the cell density was calculated and cell viability determined. All monolayers were stained with phalloidin-rhodamine for F-actin and antibodies to the tight junction (zonula occludens) protein, ZO1, to demonstrate the presence of tight junctions. The final cell density of human RPE monolayers on PLLA films was 2950 cells/mm(2) (+/-185). The final cell density of pig RPE on PLLA and PLGA film was 2350 cells/mm(2) (+/-152 and 178, respectively). Rabbit corneal endothelial cells had a final cell density of 2650 cells/mm(2) (+/-164). F-actin staining revealed a circumferential ring of actin filaments in all of the cells grown on substrates. ZO(1) immunohistochemistry demonstrated staining along the lateral cell borders of all cell types. The successful culture of retinal pigment epithelial and corneal endothelial monolayers on these substrates may have potential for transplanting cell monolayers in the eye to improve vision.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital, and Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hadlock
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Vacanti
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002470:Cell Survival; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000166:cytology*; D011091:Polyesters; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011108:Polymers; D011817:Rabbits; D013552:Swine; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000648:ultrastructure; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; C569042:TJP1 protein, human; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide)