It is taboo to devour seaweed soup earlier than exams in Korea since it may well result in failing the examination. The assumption is rooted in the concept that the slippery nature of seaweed could trigger folks to slide and falter through the take a look at. The slick floor of seaweeds comparable to seaweed and kelp is attributed to alginate, a mucilaginous substance. Notably, an intriguing research exploring the usage of alginate for the remedy of retinal detachment has been just lately printed.
A collaborative effort between Professor Hyung Joon Cha from the Division of Chemical Engineering and the College of Convergence Science and Expertise and Dr. Geunho Choi from the Division of Chemical Engineering at Pohang College of Science and Expertise (POSTECH), and Professor Woo Jin Jeong, Professor Woo Chan Park, and Professor Seoung Hyun An from the Dong-A College Hospital’s Division of Ophthalmology has resulted within the creation of a man-made vitreous physique for treating retinal detachment. This answer relies on a pure carbohydrate derived from algae. The analysis findings have been just lately printed in Biomaterials, a world journal of biomaterials printed by Elsevier.
The vitreous physique is a gel-like substance that occupies the area between the lens and retina, contributing to the attention’s structural integrity. Retinal detachment happens when the retina separates from the internal wall of the attention and strikes into the vitreous cavity, resulting in detachment and probably leading to blindness in extreme instances. Whereas a standard strategy entails eradicating the vitreous physique and substituting it with medical intraocular fillers like expandable fuel or silicone oil, these fillers have been related to varied negative effects.
To deal with these considerations, the analysis crew employed a modified type of alginate, a pure carbohydrate sourced from algae. Alginate, also called alginic acid, is extensively utilized in varied industries, together with meals and drugs, for its capability to create viscous merchandise. On this analysis, the crew crafted a medical composite hydrogel primarily based on alginate, providing a possible various for vitreous substitute.
The hydrogel, possessing excessive biocompatibility and optical properties akin to genuine vitreous physique, permits sufferers to protect their imaginative and prescient post-surgery. Its distinctive viscoelasticity successfully regulates fluid dynamics throughout the eye, contributing to retinal stabilization and the elimination of air bubbles.
To validate the hydrogel’s stability and effectiveness, the crew performed experiments utilizing animal fashions, particularly rabbit eyes, which intently resemble human eyes in construction, dimension, and physiological response. Implanting the hydrogel into rabbit eyes demonstrated its success in stopping the recurrence of retinal detachment, sustaining stability, and functioning properly over an prolonged interval with none hostile results.
Professor Hyung Joon Cha of the POSTECH who led the research remarked, “There’s a correlation between retinal detachment and extreme myopia and the prevalence of retinal detachment is growing, notably in younger folks. The incidence of retinal detachment instances in Korea rose by 50% in 2022 in comparison with 2017.” He expressed the crew’s dedication by saying, “Our crew will improve and progress the know-how to make the hydrogel appropriate for sensible use in real-world eye care by ongoing analysis.”
Professor Woo Jin Jeong from the Dong-A College Hospital acknowledged, “The worldwide marketplace for intraocular fillers is increasing at a fee of three% per yr.” He added, “We anticipate that the hydrogel we have created will show useful in upcoming vitreoretinal surgical procedures.”
The analysis was sponsored by the Korea Medical Gadget Improvement Fund and the Mid-Profession Analysis Program of the Nationwide Analysis Basis of Korea.
