Biological performance of functionalized biomedical polymers for potential applications as intraocular lens

To study the biological performance of surface-modified biomedical polymer materials, a model of the functional mechanism of nonspecific adsorption resistance was constructed. Cell behavior on the surface and in vivo transplantation features of intraocular lens (IOL) materials, such as hydrophobic acrylic ester and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), were investigated. The results of cell adhesion and proliferation studies showed that the addition of hirudin can significantly resist epithelial cell adhesion, better than the pure amination process, and thereby inhibit excessive proliferation on the surface. Experiments on the eyes of rabbits indicated that the IOL surfaces with hirudin modification reduced the incidence of cell aggregation and inflammation. Combined with a study of protein-resistant layer construction with recombinant hirudin on the material surface, the mechanism of surface functionalization was determined. The biological performance indicated that nonspecific adsorption is greatly decreased due to the existence of amphiphilic ions or hydration layers, which lead to stability and long-term resistance to nonspecific adsorption. These results offer a theoretical basis for the use of traditional biomedical polymer materials in long-term clinical applications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 1961-1967, 2016.