Age-related macular degeneration is an incurable chronic neurodegenerative disease, causing progressive loss of the central vision and even blindness. Up-to-date therapeutic approaches can only slow down he progression of the disease.
Objective: Feasibility study for a multilayered, silk fibroin-based, 3D biohybrid retina.
Approach: Fabrication of silk fibroin-based biofilms; culture of different types of cells: retinal pigment epithelium, retinal neurons, Müller and mesenchymal stem cells ; creation of a layered structure glued with silk fibroin hydrogel.
Main results: In vitro evidence for the feasibility of layered 3D biohybrid retinas; primary culture neurons grow and develop neurites on silk fibroin biofilms, either alone or in presence of other cells cultivated on the same biomaterial; cell organization and cellular phenotypes are maintained in vitro for the seven days of the experiment.
Significance: 3D biohybrid retina can be built using silk silkworm fibroin films and hydrogels to be used in cell replacement therapy for AMD and similar retinal neurodegenerative diseases.