rss
Br J Ophthalmol doi:10.1136/bjo.2010.184002
  • Review

The chemistry of retinal transplantation: the influence of polymer scaffold properties on retinal cell adhesion and control

  1. Andrew J Treharne1,
  2. Martin C Grossel1,
  3. Andrew J Lotery2,3,
  4. Heather A Thomson2
  1. 1School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
  2. 2Clinical Neurosciences Division, School of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK
  3. 3Southampton Eye Unit, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK
  1. Correspondence to Professor Andrew J Lotery, Clinical Neurosciences Division, Mailpoint 806, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK; a.j.lotery{at}soton.ac.uk
  • Accepted 29 June 2010
  • Published Online First 31 August 2010

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of blindness in the UK. Cellular replacement of retinal pigment epithelium cells is a potential therapeutic option to treat the cellular loss and dysfunction which is characteristic of age-related macular degeneration and other progressive retinopathies. A supportive scaffold, natural or artificial, may be required to facilitate cell delivery to the eye. Research to improve the biomimetic properties of such scaffolds, in order to optimise cell attachment and functionality following implantation, is ongoing. This short review will focus on the potential of biomaterials for ocular tissue engineering and how surface modification and the physical properties of these scaffolds can be tailored to help realise the full clinical potential of retinal pigment epithelium cell transplantation.

Footnotes

  • Funding Financial support was provided by the National Institute for Health Research, National Eye Research Centre, British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society and Foresight RP.

  • Competing interests None.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

  • Accepted 29 June 2010
  • Published Online First 31 August 2010

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF
  4. All Versions of this Article:
    1. bjo.2010.184002v1
    2. 95/6/768 most recent

Responses

  1. Submit a response
  2. No responses published

Social bookmarking

Register for free content


Free sample
 This recent issue is free to all users to allow everyone the opportunity to see the full scope and typical content of BJO.
View free sample issue >>

Free archive
The full back archive is now available for BJO. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006, back to volume 1 issue 1.
Register to access the free archive >>

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.