Preparation of Hydroxyapatite-Aligned Collagen Sheets and Their Evaluation for Fibroblast Adhesion and Collagen Secretion.

The structure of many native tissues consists of aligned collagen (Col) fibrils, some of which are further composited with dispersed hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanocrystals. Accurately mimicking this inherent structure is a promising approach to enhance scaffold biocompatibility in tissue engineering. In this study, biomimetic sheets composed of highly aligned Col fibrils were fabricated using a plastic compression and tension method, followed by the deposition of HAp nanocrystals on the surface via an alternate soaking method.

zIncubascope: Long-term quantitative imaging of multi-cellular assemblies inside an incubator.

Recent advances in bioengineering have made it possible to develop increasingly complex biological systems to recapitulate organ functions as closely as possible in vitro. Monitoring the assembly and growth of multi-cellular aggregates, micro-tissues or organoids and extracting quantitative information is a crucial but challenging task required to decipher the underlying morphogenetic mechanisms. We present here an imaging platform designed to be accommodated inside an incubator which provides high-throughput monitoring of cell assemblies over days and weeks.

Corneal Stromal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Attenuate ANGPTL7 Expression in the Human Trabecular Meshwork.

Purpose: Regulating intraocular pressure (IOP), mainly via the trabecular meshwork (TM), is critical in developing glaucoma. Whereas current treatments aim to lower IOP, directly targeting the dysfunctional TM tissue for therapeutic intervention has proven challenging. In our study, we utilized Dexamethasone (Dex)-treated TM cells as a model to investigate how extracellular vesicles (EVs) from immortalized corneal stromal stem cells (imCSSCs) could influence ANGPTL7 and MYOC genes expression within TM cells.

ROCK Inhibitor Enhances Resilience Against Metabolic Stress Through Increasing Bioenergetic Capacity in Corneal Endothelial Cells.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y27632 on bioenergetic capacity and resilience of corneal endothelial cells (CECs) under metabolic stress.

Methods: Bovine CECs (BCECs) were treated with Y27632 and subjected to bioenergetic profiling using the Seahorse XFp Analyzer. The effects on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production through oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis were measured.

Mechanical Strain of Corneal Epithelium Influences the Expression of Genes Implicated in Keratoconus.

Purpose: Although mechanical injury to the cornea (e.g. chronic eye rubbing) is a known risk factor for keratoconus progression, how it contributes to loss of corneal integrity is not known.