Surface treatment to a biomaterial surface has been shown to modify and help cell growth. Our aim was to determine the best surface-modified system for the treatment of limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), which would facilitate expansion of autologous limbal epithelial cells, while maintaining cultivated epithelial cells in a less differentiated state. Commercially available contact lenses (CLs) were variously surface modified by plasma polymerization with ratios of acrylic acid to octadiene tested at 100% acrylic acid, 50:50% acrylic acid:octadiene, and 100% octadiene to produce high-, mid-, and no-acid. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to analyze the chemical composition of the plasma polymer deposited layer. Limbal explants cultured on high acid-modified CLs outgrew more cells. Immunofluorescence and RT2-PCR array results indicated that a higher acrylic acid content can also help maintain progenitor cells during ex vivo expansion of epithelial cells. This study provides the first evidence for the ability of high acid-modified CLs to preserve the stemness and to be used as substrates for the culture of limbal cells in the treatment of LSCD.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Research Group:	Medical biotechnology
Research Field:	Gene and molecular therapy
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Clinical health
Objective Field:	Clinical health not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Liu, GS (Associate Professor Guei-Sheung Liu)
ID Code:	120789
Year Published:	2014
Web of Science® Times Cited:	7
Deposited By:	Menzies Institute for Medical Research
Deposited On:	2017-08-30
Last Modified:	2019-05-07
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