Production, sterilisation and storage of biodegradable electrospun PLGA membranes for delivery of limbal stem cells to the cornea

摘要

Our aim was to produce, sterilize and store a synthetic, rapidly biodegrading membrane for cultured limbal stem cell transplantation. Membranes were electrospun from Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) with a 50:50 ratio of lactide and glycolide comparing 44 kg/mol and 153 kg/mol molecular weights (MW) and sterilized with y-irradiation and stored for up to a year at a range of temperatures. Cells attached well on both MW membranes. The lower MW degraded faster than the higher MW membranes, γ-irradiation accelerated membrane breakdown when wet but sterilised membranes could be stored dry for at least a year at -20°C.