title: Toward the development of an artificial cornea: improved stability of interpenetrating polymer networks.
abstract: A novel interpenetrating network (IPN) based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(acrylic acid) was developed and its use as an artificial cornea was evaluated in vivo. The in vivo results of a first set of corneal inlays based on PEG-diacrylate precursor showed inflammation of the treated eyes and haze in the corneas. The insufficient biocompatibility could be correlated to poor long-term stability of the implant caused by hydrolytic degradation over time. Adapting the hydrogel chemistry by replacing hydrolysable acrylate functionalities with stable acrylamide functionalities was shown to increase the long-term stability of the resulting IPNs under hydrolytic conditions. This new set of hydrogel implants now shows increased biocompatibility in vivo. Rabbits with corneal inlay implants are healthy and have clear cornea and non-inflamed eyes for up to 6 months after implantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 94303, USA.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Luo Luo
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Chang-Yeon
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Stayce E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huie
authors.forename: Jaan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Noolandi
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Cochran
authors.forename: Christopher N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Ta
authors.forename: Curtis W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Frank
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D003315:Cornea; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D007634:Keratitis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011817:Rabbits; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols