Biocompatibility and Biomechanical Effect of Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes Implanted in the Corneal Stroma: A Proof of Concept Investigation

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Title: Biocompatibility and Biomechanical Effect of Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes Implanted in the Corneal Stroma: A Proof of Concept Investigation
Authors: Vega Estrada, Alfredo | Silvestre-Albero, Joaquín | Rodriguez, Alejandra E. | Rodríguez Reinoso, Francisco | Gomez-Tejedor, Jose A. | Antolinos-Turpin, Carmen M. | Bataille, Laurent | Alió, Jorge L.
Research Group/s: Materiales Avanzados
Center, Department or Service: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Química Inorgánica | Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Universitario de Materiales
Keywords: Biocompatibility | Biomechanical effect | Carbon nanotubes | Corneal stroma
Knowledge Area: Química Inorgánica
Issue Date: 2016
Publisher: Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Citation: Journal of Ophthalmology. Volume 2016 (2016), Article ID 4041767, 8 pages. doi:10.1155/2016/4041767
Abstract: Corneal ectatic disorders are characterized by a progressive weakening of the tissue due to biomechanical alterations of the corneal collagen fibers. Carbon nanostructures, mainly carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene, are nanomaterials that offer extraordinary mechanical properties and are used to increase the rigidity of different materials and biomolecules such as collagen fibers. We conducted an experimental investigation where New Zealand rabbits were treated with a composition of CNTs suspended in balanced saline solution which was applied in the corneal tissue. Biocompatibility of the composition was assessed by means of histopathology analysis and mechanical properties by stress-strain measurements. Histopathology samples stained with blue Alcian showed that there were no fibrous scaring and no alterations in the mucopolysaccharides of the stroma. It also showed that there were no signs of active inflammation. These were confirmed when Masson trichrome staining was performed. Biomechanical evaluation assessed by means of tensile test showed that there is a trend to obtain higher levels of rigidity in those corneas implanted with CNTs, although these changes are not statistically significant (p>0.05). Implanting CNTs is biocompatible and safe procedure for the corneal stroma which can lead to an increase in the rigidity of the collagen fibers.
Sponsor: Support of the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) and FEDER funds under the project MAT2012-38359-C03-01. This publication has been sponsored in part with the funding of the framework of the Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS), Reference no. RD12/0034/0007, financed by the Instituto Carlos III-General Subdirection of Networks and Cooperative Investigation Centers (R&D&I National Plan 2008–2011) and the European Regional Development Fund (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional FEDER).
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10045/61601
ISSN: 2090-004X (Print) | 2090-0058 (Online)
DOI: 10.1155/2016/4041767
Language: eng
Type: info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Rights: © 2016 Alfredo Vega-Estrada et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Peer Review: si
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/4041767
Appears in Collections:INV - LMA - Artículos de Revistas

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