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. 2022 Jul 10;8(7):431. doi: 10.3390/gels8070431

Table 1.

Summary of the main properties of alginate conjugates, techniques employed in their manufacture and related advantages for corneal tissue engineering.

Combined Materials Target Research Model
Manufacturing Technique Characterization
Steps		 Experimental
Studies		 Advantages
Achieved		 Ref.
Alg-PLC - Electrospinning
  • -

    Mechanical testing

  • -

    Porosity

 -
  • -

    Fibrous-like structure

  • -

    Enhanced robustness

 [146]
Cornea wound healing Electrospinning
  • -

    Morphology

  • -

    Thickness measurement

  • -

    Optical transmission

  • -

    Suture retaining test

 -
  • -

    Enhanced mechanical properties

  • -

    High transparency

 [147]
Alg-Gel Entire cornea Electrospinning
  • -

    Morphology

  • -

    Crosslinking studies

  • -

    Mechanical testing

  • -

    Optical transmission
  • -

    Ex vivo on porcine cornea
  • -

    Enhanced mechanical properties

  • -

    Inexpensive and natural construct

 [148]
Alg-GelMA Corneal stroma 3D Bioprinting
  • -

    Bioinks optimization

  • -

    Morphology

  • -

    Transparency evaluation
  • -

    In vitro live/dead

  • -

    Assay of human corneal stromal cells
  • -

    Enhanced cell viability

  • -

    Transparency retained

  • -

    Preservation corneal shape

 [149]
Alg-RGD Corneal epithelium Cell sheets
  • -

    Morphology

  • -

    Gel-sol optimization
  • -

    In vitro live/dead

  • -

    Assay of human corneal epithelial cells

  • -

    Immunostaining
  • -

    Extent cell attachment

  • -

    High viability

 [150]
Alg-SNF-GelMA Corneal stroma Micropatterned membranes
  • -

    Mechanical properties

  • -

    Adhesive test

  • -

    Morphology

  • -

    Degradation-rate evaluation
  • -

    Ex vivo adhesion test on fresh sheepskin

  • -

    In vitro MTT and live/dead tests on human stromal cells
  • -

    Good wettability

  • -

    Adjustable mechanical properties

  • -

    High transparency

  • -

    High adhesion strength

  • -

    Suitable degradation rate

  • -

    Orientation of cells

 [151]
OA-CMCTS Corneal alkali
burns		 In situ forming hydrogel
  • -

    Optical transmission

  • -

    Morphology

  • -

    Swelling ability

  • -

    Degradation-rate evaluation
  • -

    In vitro MTT assay on mouse fibroblast and LSCs

  • -

    In vivo degradation assay on Kunming mice

  • -

    In vivo efficacy on

  • -

    New Zealand white rabbit eyes
  • -

    High swelling ability

  • -

    High transparency

  • -

    Absence of cytotoxicity

  • -

    Suitable degradation rate

  • -

    Marked and rapid reconstruction of injured cornea

 [152]
Alg-Coll-Gel Corneal epithelium 3D bioprinting
  • -

    Bioinks optimization

  • -

    Thickness measurements

  • -

    Optical transmission

  • -

    Degradation-rate evaluation

  • -

    Morphology
  • -

    In vitro live/dead and proliferation assay on human corneal epithelial cells
  • -

    Fast and tunable degradation

  • -

    High transparency

  • -

    Increased cell viability

 [153]
OA-CTS Corneal endothelium In situ forming hydrogel -
  • -

    In vitro MTT assay on L929 mouse fibroblast cells

  • -

    Ex vivo histocompatibility assay on New Zealand white rabbits

  • -

    In vivo degradation assay in Kunming mice
  • -

    Suitable degradation rate

  • -

    Stabilization of cells

  • -

    Successful reconstruction of endothelium

 [154]
OA-Coll Corneal epithelium
  • -

    Degree of oxidation

  • -

    Porosity degree

  • -

    Exclusion chromatography

  • -

    Immunoblotting

  • -

    Rheological measurements

  • -

    Morphology
  • -

    In vitro Trypan blue exclusion assay on bovine LECs and human corneal epithelial cell
  • -

    Enhanced cell viability

  • -

    Tunable mechanical properties

  • -

    Predictable degradation rate

 [155]

Alg = alginate; OA = oxidized alginate; PCL = polycaprolactone; Gel = gelatin; GelMA = gelatin methacrylated; RGD = Arg-Gly-Asp motif; CMCTS = carboxymethyl chitosan; Coll = collagen; LSCs = limbal stem cells; LECs = limbal epithelial cells.