RESUMEN

Defects in the corneal stroma caused by trauma or diseases such as macular corneal dystrophy and keratoconus can be detrimental for vision. Development of therapeutic methods to enhance corneal regeneration is essential for treatment of these defects. This paper describes a bioactive peptide nanofiber scaffold system for corneal tissue regeneration. These nanofibers are formed by self-assembling peptide amphiphile molecules containing laminin and fibronectin inspired sequences. Human corneal keratocyte cells cultured on laminin-mimetic peptide nanofibers retained their characteristic morphology, and their proliferation was enhanced compared with cells cultured on fibronectin-mimetic nanofibers. When these nanofibers were used for damaged rabbit corneas, laminin-mimetic peptide nanofibers increased keratocyte migration and supported stroma regeneration. These results suggest that laminin-mimetic peptide nanofibers provide a promising injectable, synthetic scaffold system for cornea stroma regeneration.

Asunto(s)

Materiales Biocompatibles/farmacología , Sustancia Propia/fisiología , Nanofibras/química , Péptidos/farmacología , Regeneración/efectos de los fármacos , Secuencia de Aminoácidos , Animales , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Forma de la Célula/efectos de los fármacos , Células Cultivadas , Sustancia Propia/citología , Sustancia Propia/efectos de los fármacos , Fibroblastos/citología , Fibroblastos/efectos de los fármacos , Fibroblastos/ultraestructura , Humanos , Inmunohistoquímica , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Nanofibras/ultraestructura , Péptidos/química , Conejos , Tensoactivos/química

RESUMEN

In the present study, we report the systematic investigation of the effect of chemical oxidation on the structure of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes buckypaper. The chemical oxidation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes was performed via using three types of chemical solutions: nitric acid, sulfuric acid/nitric acid (3/1) and ammonium hydroxide/hydrogen peroxide (1/1). The surfaces of the multi-walled carbon nanotubes were modified by forming Carboxyl and other functional groups. Flexible multi-walled carbon nanotubes buckypapers were then produced by vacuum filtration techniques from functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The characteristic properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes specimens were investigated via Raman, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopies. The thermal properties and morphology of multi-walled carbon nanotubes were also studied byThermogravimetric Analysis and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy techniques.