Micromolded honeycomb scaffold design to support the generation of a bilayered RPE and photoreceptor cell construct.

PubMed ID: 37575875

Author(s): Lee IK, Xie R, Luz-Madrigal A, Min S, Zhu J, Jin J, Edwards KL, Phillips MJ, Ludwig AL, Gamm DM, Gong S, Ma Z. Micromolded honeycomb scaffold design to support the generation of a bilayered RPE and photoreceptor cell construct. Bioact Mater. 2023 Jul 31;30:142-153. doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.07.019. eCollection 2023 Dec. PMID 37575875

Journal: Bioactive Materials, Volume 30, Dec 2023

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes blindness due to loss of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors (PRs), which comprise the two outermost layers of the retina. Given the small size of the macula and the importance of direct contact between RPE and PRs, the use of scaffolds for targeted reconstruction of the outer retina in later stage AMD and other macular dystrophies is particularly attractive. We developed microfabricated, honeycomb-patterned, biodegradable poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) scaffolds to deliver organized, adjacent layers of RPE and PRs to the subretinal space. Furthermore, an optimized process was developed to photocure PGS, shortening scaffold production time from days to minutes. The resulting scaffolds robustly supported the seeding of human pluripotent stem cell-derived RPE and PRs, either separately or as a dual cell-layered construct. These advanced, economical, and versatile scaffolds can accelerate retinal cell transplantation efforts and benefit patients with AMD and other retinal degenerative diseases.