Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 13, 2026
Accessing the Cytotoxicity and Cell Response to Biomaterials
Published on: July 8, 2021
Correlations of In Vitro Assays for Assessing Cytotoxicity and Biocompatibility of Contact Lens Multipurpose
Ling C Huang1, Mercedes Salvador-Silva, Ronika S Leang
1Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Medical Optics Inc. (AMO), Santa Ana, CA.
Objectives:
To demonstrate correlations among in vitro assays used for assessing cytotoxicity of contact lens multipurpose solution (MPS) and propose the use of multiple assays as a part of preclinical evaluation for MPS biocompatibility assessment.
Methods:
The effect of four different MPS on cell cytotoxicity, metabolic activity, and membrane integrity was performed by evaluating toxicity, expression of tight junction protein zonula occludens-1, and transepithelial electrical resistance in human corneal epithelial cells and Chinese hamster fibroblast cells.
Results:
Cytotoxicity of four MPS was assayed with five different experimental systems at various concentrations. In vitro MPS-induced cytotoxicity was dependent on assay choice, concentration of MPS used, and duration of treatment. Overall, MPS-1 and MPS-2 were comparable to MPS-4 and better than MPS-3 in maintaining corneal barrier integrity and cell viability.
Conclusions:
In vitro cytotoxicity testing with MPS exposure to monolayer of cells in culture could be used as a tool to understand the potential cytotoxicity profiles of MPS and possibly a predictor of clinical outcome. Furthermore, MPS effects on in vitro cytotoxicity are best demonstrated by performing multiple assays to evaluate cell viability, metabolic activity, and membrane integrity during development.
