Fabrication of a bioengineered corneal endothelial cell sheet using chitosan/polycaprolactone blend membranes

Our previous study has demonstrated cultivation of bovine corneal endothelial cells (BCECs) on the chitosan-polycaprolactone (PCL) blends. BCECs could grow well and express physiological phenotypes after PCL was introduced into chitosan by means of blending. The feasibility of using chitosan-PCL-blended membranes as scaffold and carrier for corneal endothelial cell (CEC) transplantation is worthy of more investigation. In this work, we attempt to manufacture various blended membranes to bring BCEC cultivation into harmony by hybridizing two polymers with fine adjustment. Therefore, chitosan, which does not promote BCECs maturation, and PCL, which supports, BCEC proliferation, are combined to prepare the blends. Analyses of transmittance, proliferative, abilities, phenotypic expressions, extracellular matrix (ECM) protein production, and hemotoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining were executed step-by-step. From our observations, the blended membranes united respective characteristics. The cultured BCECs on the blends illustrated normal appearance and good proliferative abilities. Immunohistochemical staining verified physiologically phenotypic expressions of ZO-1 and Na-K ATPase. Western blot analysis also confirmed the existence of collagen type IV proteins. Furthermore, the formation of a continuous monolayer of cells attached on the blended membrane was confirmed by H&E staining. These results suggested that chitosan-PCL blended membranes may be an optimized biomaterial to fabricate bioengineered corneal endothelium and show potential to facilitate CEC transplantation in the future.