Researchers from the LV Prasad Ophthalmological Institute, the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad and the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology collaborated to develop a 3D-printed membrane from donor human corneal tissue and transplanted it into a rabbit’s eye
Locally developed thanks to government and philanthropic funding, the product is all-natural, contains no synthetic ingredients, is free of animal waste and is safe for use in patients, the Press Trust of India agency said.
With recent advances in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, specialists used a decellularized corneal tissue matrix and human eye stem cells to develop a unique biomimetic hydrogel (patent pending) used as the base material.
Because the 3D-printed cornea is made from materials derived from human corneal tissue, it’s biocompatible, natural and contains no animal waste, experts said.
Doctors Sayan Basu and Vivek Singh said it is a revolutionary innovation for treating conditions such as corneal scars (where the cornea becomes opaque) or keratoconus (where the cornea thins over time).
It is a product made in India by a team of clinicians and scientists and is the first 3D printed human cornea that is optically and physically suitable for transplantation.
The bio-ink used to make it can save the eyesight of service workers at the injury site to seal the corneal perforation and prevent infection in war-related injuries or in remote areas without tertiary eye care facilities.
A biomimicry approach was used to provide an optimized microenvironment for stromal regeneration while preserving the curvature and thickness of the bioprinted cornea to facilitate surgical implantation.
“We hope that India’s first 3D bioprinted corneal transplant will have a positive outcome,” said Dr. Falguni Pati, Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad.
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