透明亲水的"凤凰衣"用作角膜修复材料OA

Globally,irreversible blindness caused by corneal scarring,stromal defects,and trauma continues to rise.Shortages of donor corneas,the high cost of amniotic membrane and collagen patches,and complex ethical oversight have made the development of an abundant,low-cost,and scalable alternative a pressing clinical need.Herein,an"alkaline-transparency"protocol was developed to render"phoenix garment"(chicken eggshell membrane,ESM),transparent,hydrophilicity,and high saturated water content,while preserving its flexibility and suture compatibility.The membrane gradually degraded in the physiological environment,adapting to the pace of tissue repair.In a rabbit anterior-lamellar defect model,the patch rapidly integrated with host stroma,achieving complete re-epithelialization within one week and restoring a smooth,transparent corneal surface within eight weeks,with neatly aligned collagen and no scar formation,indicating effective suppression of myofibroblast activation and reliable restoration of the epithelial barrier.ESM is abundantly available,easy to prepare,and storable at room temperature,offering a safe,economical,and clinically translatable strategy for corneal stromal replacement.