Human corneal limbal epithelial cell response to varying silk film geometric topography in vitro.
Silk fibroin films are a promising class of biomaterials that have a number of advantages for use in ophthalmic applications due to their transparent nature, mechanical properties and minimal inflammatory response upon implantation. Freestanding silk films with parallel line and concentric ring topographies were generated for in vitro characterization of human corneal limbal epithelial (HCLE) cell response upon differing geometric patterned surfaces. Results indicated that silk film topography significantly affected initial HCLE culture substrate attachment, cellular alignment, cell-to-cell contact formation, actin cytoskeleton alignment and focal adhesion (FA) localization. Most notably, parallel line patterned surfaces displayed a 36-54% increase on average in initial cell attachment, which corresponded to a more than 2-fold increase in FA localization when compared to other silk film surfaces and controls. In addition, distinct localization of FA formation was observed along the edges for all patterned silk film topographies. In conclusion, silk film feature topography appears to help direct corneal epithelial cell response and cytoskeleton development, especially with regard to FA distribution, in vitro.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
Brian D
BD
Lawrence
Zhi
Z
Pan
Aihong
A
Liu
David L
DL
Kaplan
Mark I
MI
Rosenblatt
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D012831:Bombyx / Q000737:chemistry; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000166:cytology*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D047011:Silk / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016596:Vinculin / Q000378:metabolism
D047011:Silk; D016596:Vinculin