Dan Dimitrijevich2019-08-222019-08-222008-07-012013-11-18https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12503/29226Arafeh, Reem B., Strategy to Design a Stratified Lamellar Corneal Stroma Construct. Master of Science (Biomedical Sciences), July 2nd, 2008, 103pp., 1 table, 42 illustrations, bibliography, 63 titles. Cornea is the transparent portion of the eye. Its three cellular compartments: the epithelium, stroma, and endothelium, are optimized for transparency and focusing. Although corneal grafting with donor corneas is a successful treatment to restore vision, there is an acute shortage of appropriate quality donor tissue. Tissue engineering is a new approach that addresses this shortage. In this thesis it was demonstrated that lamellar stromal structure is reproduced by stacking thin collagen films. Collagen fibril organization in the thin films directs cellular alignment allowing assembly of an orthogonal stroma construct that transmits more light than most other published constructs and is optically active. Whereas the cell alignment and lamellar arrangement were successful, optimization of optical properties is a major future goal.application/pdfenCell AnatomyCell and Developmental BiologyCell BiologyCellular and Molecular PhysiologyDevelopmental BiologyEye DiseasesLife SciencesMedicine and Health SciencesOphthalmologyOptometryOther Cell and Developmental BiologySense OrgansVision ScienceStratified lamellar corneal stroma constructepitheliumstromaendotheliumcorneal graftingtissue engineeringcollagen fibril organizationcellular alignmentorthogonal stroma constructoptimization of optical propertiesThesis