title: Evaluation of mesoporous silicon/polycaprolactone composites as ophthalmic implants.
abstract: The suitability of porous silicon (pSi) encapsulated in microfibers of the biodegradable polymer polycaprolactone (PCL) for ophthalmic applications was evaluated, using both a cell attachment assay with epithelial cells and an in vivo assessment of biocompatibility in rats. Microfibers of PCL containing encapsulated pSi particles at two different concentrations (6 and 20 wt.%) were fabricated as non-woven fabrics. Given the dependence of Si particle dissolution kinetics on pSi surface chemistry, two different types of pSi particles (hydride-terminated and surface-oxidized) were evaluated for each of the two particle concentrations. Significant attachment of a human lens epithelial cell line (SRA 01/04) to all four types of scaffolds within a 24h period was observed. Implantation of Si fabric samples beneath the conjunctiva of rat eyes for 8 weeks demonstrated that the composite materials did not cause visible infection or inflammation, and did not erode the ocular surface. We suggest that these novel composite materials hold considerable promise as scaffolds in tissue engineering with controlled release applications.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
authors.forename: Soheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kashanian
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.forename: Yazad
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Irani
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klebe
authors.forename: Kirsty
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loni
authors.forename: Leigh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Canham
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Keryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Nicolas H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Voelcker
authors.forename: Jeffery L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Coffer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D005123:Eye / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011091:Polyesters / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016062:Porosity / Q000187:drug effects; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012824:Silicic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D012825:Silicon / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013499:Surface Properties / Q000187:drug effects; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; D012824:Silicic Acid; C016240:polycaprolactone; D012825:Silicon