3D-Printed Hydroxyapatite/Polycaprolactone Porous Scaffolds as Tarsus Substitutes for Eyelid Defects: A Preliminary Study in Rabbits.

Authors

Jincheng Liu, Simeng Lv, Mengling Zhou, Mange Zhang, Qingyi Wang, Xin Jiang, Fanrong Ai, Qin Huang

Published in

Translational vision science & technology. Volume 15. Issue 11. Pages 4. Nov 02, 2026.

Abstract

Reconstruction of eyelid tarsal defects remains challenging due to donor-site morbidity, insufficient autologous tissue sources, and biomechanical mismatch between grafts and native tarsal plate. This study aimed to fabricate polyethylene glycol 400-plasticized 3D-printed hydroxyapatite/polycaprolactone (HA/PCL) porous scaffolds, and to compare the repair efficacy of scaffolds with 70% and 84% HA mass fractions in a rabbit eyelid tarsal defect model.
Scaffolds were fabricated by pneumatic extrusion 3D printing and characterized for porosity, mechanics, hydrophilicity, and cytocompatibility with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). A rabbit tarsal defect model was used to evaluate ocular safety, inflammation, angiogenesis, and tissue integration at 4 and 8 weeks via corneal staining, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), qPCR, and immunohistochemistry (IHC).
Both scaffolds achieved high porosity of 91.66% and exhibited favorable hydrophilicity and cytocompatibility. The elastic modulus of the 84% HA scaffold was 2.66 MPa, which was closer to that of a natural rabbit tarsal plate. No obvious corneal injury or immune rejection was observed in vivo. Compared with the 70% HA group, the 84% HA scaffold induced milder inflammation, more regular collagen arrangement, tighter tissue integration, and a more stable inflammatory-angiogenic microenvironment.
The 3D‑printed HA/PCL scaffolds are promising for tarsal repair. The 84% HA scaffold offers superior mechanical compatibility, inflammatory regulation, angiogenesis, and tissue regeneration, providing an experimental basis for eyelid reconstruction biomaterials.
This study translates basic biomaterial's research into clinical ophthalmic care by showing optimized 3D‑printed HA/PCL scaffolds match tarsal mechanics and enhance tissue repair, providing a promising alternative to autologous grafts for clinical eyelid defect reconstruction.

PMID:
42975099
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 03 Nov 2026.

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