Corneal transplantation is currently the major solution in the treatment of severe corneal diseases. However, it is restricted due to the limited number of corneal donors. A tissue-engineered cornea is a potential substitute which could help overcome this limitation. This research envisages the development of a novel tissue-engineered corneal stroma consisting of bacterial cellulose (BC)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel composites for reconstructing the cornea. It was found that the properties of BC/PVA were better suited for use as a corneal stroma material than the BC hydrogel. The human corneal stromal cells (hCSCs) were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the materials, wherein BC/PVA displayed excellent biocompatibility with these cells. Furthermore, in the in vivo studies, the BC/PVA was transplanted intrastromally in rabbits. After four weeks, the cornea remained almost transparent, and without obvious inflammation, sensitization or neovascularization, as confirmed by the clinical and histological examinations. Our results demonstrate that BC/PVA was well-tolerated in the rabbit cornea, and may be a potential substitute for corneal stroma.

中文翻译：

---

细菌纤维素/聚乙烯醇水凝胶复合材料作为组织工程角膜基质的研究。

角膜移植是目前治疗严重角膜疾病的主要方法。然而，由于角膜捐献者的数量有限，它受到了限制。组织工程角膜是一种潜在的替代品，可以帮助克服这一限制。这项研究设想开发一种由细菌纤维素 (BC)/聚乙烯醇 (PVA) 水凝胶复合材料组成的新型组织工程角膜基质，用于重建角膜。发现 BC/PVA 的特性比 BC 水凝胶更适合用作角膜基质材料。人角膜基质细胞 (hCSC) 用于评估材料的细胞毒性，其中 BC/PVA 与这些细胞显示出优异的生物相容性。此外，在体内研究中，BC/PVA 被移植到兔的基质内。4周后，角膜几乎保持透明，没有明显的炎症、致敏或新生血管，临床和组织学检查证实。我们的结果表明 BC/PVA 在兔角膜中具有良好的耐受性，并且可能是角膜基质的潜在替代品。