Dynamic In Vitro Cornea Model for Designing Regenerative Medicine Approaches

角膜是眼睛前部的透明窗口。它是折射光线进入眼睛的必要条件，通过专门的神经传递细胞向大脑发出信号。这条通道的任何部分受损都可能导致失明。在世界范围内，失明的患病率约为3900万人。其中，估计有1500万人因角膜混浊而视力受损或严重视力受损，这可能是继发于感染、创伤和炎症性疾病等几种原因。每年单侧失明的发生率约为150万至200万例。持续的角膜溃疡可能导致穿孔和永久失明的风险。值得注意的是，世卫组织指出，在全球范围内，80%的视力障碍是可以预防或治愈的，而角膜失明的新疗法是一个重点领域。虽然在该领域已经报道了许多角膜再生的方法，但缺乏一个完全功能的，模拟角膜物理和生化特性的角膜3D模型，这些技术可以在其中进行测试。这个项目的目标是建立在一种新型光固化材料的初步发展的基础上，我们已经证明了这种材料与天然角膜的物理和化学性质相匹配。该项目将以开发一种丝素材料系统为基础，该系统结合了Biogelx公司生产的定制肽水凝胶，以生产一种新型生物墨水，该生物墨水将用于3D打印体外角膜模型，该模型可用于测试组织工程结构。此外，体外模型将旨在提供眼睛所经历的流泪和机械应力。

The cornea is the transparent window in front part of the eye. It is essential for refracting light to enter the eye signaling to the brain via specialized neurotransmitting cells. Damage to any part of this pathway could lead to blindness. Worldwide, the prevalence of blindness is approximately 39 million people. Of these, an estimated 15 million are sight-impaired or severely sight-impaired due to corneal opacity that may be secondary to several causes including infections, trauma, and inflammatory diseases. The incidence approximates 1.5-2.0 million cases of unilateral blindness/year. Persistent corneal ulceration may lead to perforation and the risk of permanent sight loss. Notably, the WHO states that globally, 80% of all visual impairment can be prevented or cured, and that new treatments for corneal blindness are a priority area. Although many approaches to cornea regeneration have been reported in the field, there is a lack of a fully functional, 3D model of the cornea which mimics the physical and biochemical properties of the cornea in which such technologies could be tested. This project aims to build upon promising preliminary development of a novel photocurable material which we have demonstrated to match the physical and chemical properties of the natural cornea. This project will be based on developing a silk fibroin material system which incorporates tailored peptide hydrogels manufactured by Biogelx, in order to produce a novel bioink which will be used to 3D print an in vitro cornea model which could be used test tissue engineered constructs. Furthermore, the in vitro model will aim to provide the lacrimation and mechanical stresses experienced by the eye.