title: Improving the moisturizing properties of collagen film by surface grafting of chondroitin sulfate for corneal tissue engineering.
abstract: Cornea disease is the second cause of blindness and keratoplasty is the most commonly performed option for visual rehabilitation of patients with corneal blindness. However, the clinical treatment has been drastically limited due to a severe shortage of high-quality donor corneas. Although collagen film with outstanding biocompatibility has promising application in corneal tissue engineering, the moisturizing properties of collagen-based materials must be further improved to satisfy the requirements of clinical applications. This paper describes a novel collagen-based film with high moisture capacity reinforced by surface grafting of chondroitin sulfate. The collagen-chondroitin sulfate (abbreviated as Col-CS) film was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and its hydrophilic property, moisture retention, optical property, and mechanical performance had been tested. The moisture-retaining capacity is found to be improved with the introduction of chondroitin sulfate, and the Col-CS membrane performs better mechanical properties than the collagen film. Moreover, the modified film proves excellent biocompatibility for the proliferation of human corneal epithelial cells in vitro. This Col-CS film with good moisturizing properties can reduce the risk of xerophthalmia and is expected to increase the implant success rate in clinic patients with corneal defects.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences , Changzhou University , Changzhou , China.|b School of Materials Science and Engineering , South China University of Technology , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences , Changzhou University , Changzhou , China.
authors.forename: Huilin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: b School of Materials Science and Engineering , South China University of Technology , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: c Department of Vascular Surgery, School of Medicine , Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University , Shanghai , China.
authors.forename: Guanhua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: b School of Materials Science and Engineering , South China University of Technology , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Yingjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D065966:Absorption, Physicochemical; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000737:chemistry*; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry*; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000166:cytology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D016062:Porosity; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D014867:Water; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; D003094:Collagen
keywords: Collagen; chondroitin sulfate; corneal substitute; moisturizing properties