Retina Explant Models on Nanotube Scaffolds: Enabling Vision Science with High-Purity Biomaterials from Advent

Advancements in Ex Vivo Retina Research Using Titania Nanotube Scaffolds

A new study by researchers at the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and University Hospital Jena, Germany, highlights a breakthrough in organotypic retina explant culture.

Their innovative approach uses titania (titanium dioxide) nanotube scaffolds—fabricated from high-purity titanium foil supplied by Advent Research Materials—to support stable, long-term tissue culture.

This research, published in leading life sciences journal, Biological Prcedures Online, is accelerating the fields of retinal disease modelling and drug discovery.

Science Made Simple: How Nanotube Biomaterials Support Living Eye Tissue

The research set out to solve a major challenge: how to keep real retina tissue alive and functioning outside the body for days at a time, so scientists could study it safely and accurately.

Their goal was to create a better lab model for eye research—one that could help discover new treatments for vision loss and reduce the need for animal experiments.

Researchers used high-purity titanium (from Advent) and built hundreds of billions of tiny tubes (nanotubes) on the metal’s surface. These nanotube scaffolds formed a “home” that retinal cells naturally cling to and continue working on.

By placing porcine retina tissue onto these scaffolds, scientists were able to keep it alive, healthy, and close to its natural form—something rarely achieved outside the body.

What did they achieve?
This breakthrough proves that it’s possible to culture vascularised eye tissue in the lab for extended periods.
Now, researchers can monitor living retina cells over time, gaining deeper insights into eye disease mechanisms and speeding up the development of new treatments, without relying on live animal testing.

The Role of Advent’s High-Purity Titanium in Biomaterial Scaffold Fabrication

The titania nanotube scaffolds were produced by the research teams using our 99.6% purity, 0.1 mm thick titanium foil.

These advanced scaffolds form the foundation for ex vivo cultures, ensuring highly reproducible, biocompatible environments for sensitive retinal tissue. By providing scientists with dependable, consistent source metals, Advent enables next-generation biomaterial fabrication for use in medical research and tissue engineering.

Organotypic Retina Models: A New Standard for Disease and Drug Testing

Organotypic (tissue-structure-preserving) culture models have become central to biomedical research, allowing real retinal tissue to be maintained outside the body with preserved vascular and cellular architecture.

Supported on nanostructured titania, explanted porcine retina can survive and function for days, providing an authentic platform to study degenerative eye diseases, evaluate therapeutic candidates, and reduce animal testing requirements.

Future Applications: Expanding the Use of Nanotube Scaffolds in Eye Research

The success of these retina explant cultures opens new possibilities:

• Advanced studies on age-related macular degeneration and inherited eye conditions
• Real-time monitoring of tissue responses to drugs
• Integration with electrical sensors or imaging tools for even richer data
• Adaptation of scaffold techniques for other brain and nerve tissues

Further Reading
This research was published in Biological Procedures Online:

Friebe, S., Weigel, S., Francke, M., Mayr, S. G. (2025). Organotypic Culture of Adult Vascularized Porcine Retina Explants In Vitro on Nanotube Scaffolds. Biological Procedures Online, 27(35). [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12575-025-00301-5]

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