Dynamic In Vitro Cornea Model for Designing Regenerative Medicine Approaches

角膜是眼睛前部的透明窗口。折射光进入眼睛，通过专门的神经传递细胞向大脑传递信号，这是必不可少的。这条通路的任何部分受损都可能导致失明。在世界范围内，失明的流行率约为3900万人。在这些人中，估计有1500万人由于角膜混浊而视力受损或严重视力受损，角膜混浊可能是感染、创伤和炎症性疾病等多种原因的继发性原因。每年单眼失明的发病率约为150-200万例。持续性角膜溃疡可能导致穿孔和永久性失明的风险。值得注意的是，世界卫生组织指出，在全球范围内，80%的视力障碍是可以预防或治愈的，角膜失明的新疗法是优先领域。尽管该领域已经报道了许多角膜再生的方法，但还没有一个全功能的3D角膜模型来模拟角膜的物理和生化特性，在其中可以测试这些技术。该项目旨在初步开发一种新型的光固化材料，我们已经证明这种材料与天然角膜的物理和化学特性相匹配。该项目将基于开发一种丝素材料系统，其中包含Biogelx公司生产的定制多肽水凝胶，以生产一种新型生物墨水，该墨水将用于3D打印可用于测试组织工程构建的体外角膜模型。此外，体外模型的目的是提供眼睛所经历的泪水和机械应力。

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.