# Bioinspired Tissue Transparency: Achieving Sclera‐to‐Cornea Transplantation

## TL;DR

A new method makes human tissue transparent for corneal transplants, offering a potential solution for corneal blindness.

## Contribution

The DCLT method achieves long-term tissue transparency while preserving bioactivity, enabling effective corneal substitutes.

## Key findings

- DCLT produces transparent human sclera with over 80% light transmittance.
- hTDS promotes wound healing and optical function in complex corneal injuries.
- hTDS shows superior anti-angiogenic and anti-fibrotic properties compared to donor corneas.

## Abstract

Human soft tissues have significant clinical potential for corneal repair, yet their therapeutic efficacy is limited by inherent opacity. This study introduces a bio‐inspired decellularization‐compression‐locking tactic (DCLT) for tissue clearing. The DCLT leads to long‐term transparency (>80% light transmittance) of biological soft tissues while preserving native bioactivity by removing light‐scattering subcellular structures and regulating extracellular matrix fiber density. This distinguishes it from traditional reagent‐mediated tissue‐clearing approaches. Using DCLT, transparent decellularized human sclera (hTDS) is fabricated as a corneal substitute, integrating advantages of optical clarity, mechanical reinforcement, and resistance to swelling and enzymatic degradation. hTDS promotes wound healing and restores optical function in models of complex corneal injuries, including alkali burns, acute edematous‐phase keratoconus, and open‐globe injuries. Notably, its anti‐angiogenic and anti‐fibrotic efficacy are superior to those of donor corneas in ocular surface with chronic inflammation. This study establishes a simple, effective, and safe tissue‐clearing strategy and provides a promising tissue engineering solution for allogeneic corneal transplantation.

A bioinspired decellularization‐compression‐locking tactic (DCLT) is developed to transform human sclerae into transparent corneal substitutes. These clear, robust, and pro‐regenerative substitutes are capable of repairing complex corneal injuries, including chemical burns, keratoconus, and penetrating wounds, demonstrating their clinical potential to address corneal blindness and donor shortage.