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Das JM, Upadhyay J, Monaghan MG, Borah R. Impact of the Reduction Time-Dependent Electrical Conductivity of Graphene Nanoplatelet-Coated Aligned Bombyx mori Silk Scaffolds on Electrically Stimulated Axonal Growth. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:2389-2401. [PMID: 38502100 PMCID: PMC11022174 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.4c00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Graphene-based nanomaterials, renowned for their outstanding electrical conductivity, have been extensively studied as electroconductive biomaterials (ECBs) for electrically stimulated tissue regeneration. However, using eco-friendly reducing agents like l-ascorbic acid (l-Aa) can result in lower conductive properties in these ECBs, limiting their full potential for smooth charge transfer in living tissues. Moreover, creating a flexible biomaterial scaffold using these materials that accurately mimics a specific tissue microarchitecture, such as nerves, poses additional challenges. To address these issues, this study developed a microfibrous scaffold of Bombyx mori (Bm) silk fibroin uniformly coated with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) through a vacuum coating method. The scaffold's electrical conductivity was optimized by varying the reduction period using l-Aa. The research systematically investigated how different reduction periods impact scaffold properties, focusing on electrical conductivity and its significance on electrically stimulated axonal growth in PC12 cells. Results showed that a 48 h reduction significantly increased surface electrical conductivity by 100-1000 times compared to a shorter or no reduction process. l-Aa contributed to stabilizing the reduced GNPs, demonstrated by a slow degradation profile and sustained conductivity even after 60 days in a proteolytic environment. β (III) tubulin immunostaining of PC12 cells on varied silk:GNP scaffolds under pulsed electrical stimulation (ES, 50 Hz frequency, 1 ms pulse width, and amplitudes of 100 and 300 mV/cm) demonstrates accelerated axonal growth on scaffolds exhibiting higher conductivity. This is supported by upregulated intracellular Ca2+ dynamics immediately after ES on the scaffolds with higher conductivity, subjected to a prolonged reduction period. The study showcases a sustainable reduction approach using l-Aa in combination with natural Bm silk fibroin to create a highly conductive, mechanically robust, and stable silk:GNP-based aligned fibrous scaffold. These scaffolds hold promise for functional regeneration in electrically excitable tissues such as nerves, cardiac tissue, and muscles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitu Mani Das
- Life
Sciences Division, Institute of Advanced
Study in Science & Technology, Guwahati 781035, India
| | - Jnanendra Upadhyay
- Department
of Physics, Dakshin Kamrup College, Kamrup, Mirza, Assam 781125, India
| | - Michael G. Monaghan
- Department
of Mechanical, Manufacturing and Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D2, Ireland
- Advanced
Materials and BioEngineering Research (AMBER), Centre at Trinity College Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons
in Ireland, Dublin D2, Ireland
- Trinity
Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity
College Dublin, Dublin D2, Ireland
- CÚRAM,
Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway H91 W2TY, Ireland
| | - Rajiv Borah
- Life
Sciences Division, Institute of Advanced
Study in Science & Technology, Guwahati 781035, India
- Department
of Mechanical, Manufacturing and Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D2, Ireland
- Advanced
Materials and BioEngineering Research (AMBER), Centre at Trinity College Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons
in Ireland, Dublin D2, Ireland
- Trinity
Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity
College Dublin, Dublin D2, Ireland
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2
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Gupta S, Kandasubramanian B. Silk adsorbent for green and efficient removal of methylene blue from wastewater. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-33226-9. [PMID: 38605272 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33226-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Silk, a naturally occurring proteinaceous biopolymer with remarkable adsorbent properties, has been employed in wastewater remediation. The sericin coating, functioning as a protective barrier and rendering fibres impervious to external chemical attacks and preventing their involvement in chemical reactions, was removed using a greener alternative to harness silk as an effective adsorbent. Subsequently, the silk fibres underwent intermittent microwave degumming to extract sericin, and the fibres were utilized for the adsorptive exclusion of the hazardous methylene blue (MB) dye. The comparative batch adsorption studies (kinetics and isotherm) between raw silk fibres and degummed fibres were performed to comprehend the role of degumming on fibre adsorption efficacy by varying operating conditions, including pH, time of contact, initial adsorbate and dosage of adsorbent. The paramount adsorption capacity of raw silk was observed to be 137.08 mg g-1 and 179.14 mg g-1 for degummed silk when adsorbate conc. was 100 ppm. The kinetics of adsorption obeyed pseudo-second order suggesting that the rate controlling step is chemisorptions, and data demonstrated greatest fit to Langmuir isotherm exhibiting mono-layer adsorption. Further, biodegradability was studied by mimicking natural environmental conditions where the raw and degummed silk fibres demonstrated 51% and 53% degradation, respectively, after 180 days. Overall, based on obtained results, this study highlights the suitability of silk as an effective as well as sustainable adsorbent for the exclusion of toxic methylene blue dye from wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruti Gupta
- Structural Composites Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Defence Institute of Advanced Techology (DU), Ministry of Defence, Girinagar, Pune, 411025, Maharashtra, India
| | - Balasubramanian Kandasubramanian
- Structural Composites Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Defence Institute of Advanced Techology (DU), Ministry of Defence, Girinagar, Pune, 411025, Maharashtra, India.
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Wu YT, Lu PW, Lin CA, Chang LY, Jaihao C, Peng TY, Lee WF, Teng NC, Lee SY, Dwivedi RP, Negi P, Yang JC. Development of a zinc chloride-based chemo-mechanical system for potential minimally invasive dental caries removal system. J Dent Sci 2024; 19:919-928. [PMID: 38618085 PMCID: PMC11010630 DOI: 10.1016/j.jds.2023.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Background/purpose The chemo-mechanical caries-removal technique is known to offer advantages of selective dentin caries treatment while leaving healthy dental tissues intact. However, current sodium hypochlorite based reagents usually excessively damage dentin collagen. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a novel chemo-mechanical caries-removal system to preserve the collagen network for subsequent prosthetic restorations. Materials and methods The calfskin-derived collagen was chosen as a model system to investigate the dissolution behavior of collagen under different operating conditions of chemical-ultrasonic treatment systems. The molecular weight, triple-helix structure, the morphology, and functional group of collagen after treatment were investigated. Results Various concentrations of sodium hypochlorite or zinc chloride together with ultrasonic machinery were chosen to investigate. The outcomes of circular dichroism (CD) spectra demonstrated stability of the triple-helix structure after treatment of a zinc chloride solution. In addition, two apparent bands at molecular weights (MWs) of 130 and 121 kDa evidenced the stability of collagen network. The positive 222 nm and 195 nm negative CD absorption band indicated the existence of a triple-helix structure for type I collagen. The preservation of the morphology and functional group of the collagen network on the etched dentin surface were investigated by in vitro dentin decalcification model. Conclusion Unlike NaOCl, the 5 wt% zinc chloride solution combined with ultra-sonication showed dissolution rather than denature as well as degradation of the dentin collagen network. Additional in vivo evaluations are needed to verify its usefulness in clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Tzu Wu
- Graduate Institute of Nanomedicine and Medical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Wen Lu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-An Lin
- Graduate Institute of Nanomedicine and Medical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Liang-Yu Chang
- Graduate Institute of Nanomedicine and Medical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chonlachat Jaihao
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Yu Peng
- School of Dentistry, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Fang Lee
- School of Dental Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Nai-Chia Teng
- School of Dentistry, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Yang Lee
- School of Dentistry, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ram Prakash Dwivedi
- School of Electrical and Computer Science Engineering, Shoolini University, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Poonam Negi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Shoolini University, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Jen-Chang Yang
- Graduate Institute of Nanomedicine and Medical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- International Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Research Center of Biomedical Device, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Research Center of Digital Oral Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
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De Giorgio G, Matera B, Vurro D, Manfredi E, Galstyan V, Tarabella G, Ghezzi B, D'Angelo P. Silk Fibroin Materials: Biomedical Applications and Perspectives. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:167. [PMID: 38391652 PMCID: PMC10886036 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11020167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The golden rule in tissue engineering is the creation of a synthetic device that simulates the native tissue, thus leading to the proper restoration of its anatomical and functional integrity, avoiding the limitations related to approaches based on autografts and allografts. The emergence of synthetic biocompatible materials has led to the production of innovative scaffolds that, if combined with cells and/or bioactive molecules, can improve tissue regeneration. In the last decade, silk fibroin (SF) has gained attention as a promising biomaterial in regenerative medicine due to its enhanced bio/cytocompatibility, chemical stability, and mechanical properties. Moreover, the possibility to produce advanced medical tools such as films, fibers, hydrogels, 3D porous scaffolds, non-woven scaffolds, particles or composite materials from a raw aqueous solution emphasizes the versatility of SF. Such devices are capable of meeting the most diverse tissue needs; hence, they represent an innovative clinical solution for the treatment of bone/cartilage, the cardiovascular system, neural, skin, and pancreatic tissue regeneration, as well as for many other biomedical applications. The present narrative review encompasses topics such as (i) the most interesting features of SF-based biomaterials, bare SF's biological nature and structural features, and comprehending the related chemo-physical properties and techniques used to produce the desired formulations of SF; (ii) the different applications of SF-based biomaterials and their related composite structures, discussing their biocompatibility and effectiveness in the medical field. Particularly, applications in regenerative medicine are also analyzed herein to highlight the different therapeutic strategies applied to various body sectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe De Giorgio
- IMEM-CNR, Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism-National Research Council, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Biagio Matera
- Center of Dental Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14/A, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Davide Vurro
- IMEM-CNR, Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism-National Research Council, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Edoardo Manfredi
- Center of Dental Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14/A, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Vardan Galstyan
- IMEM-CNR, Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism-National Research Council, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
- Department of Engineering "Enzo Ferrari", University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Vivarelli 10, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Tarabella
- IMEM-CNR, Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism-National Research Council, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Benedetta Ghezzi
- IMEM-CNR, Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism-National Research Council, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
- Center of Dental Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14/A, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Pasquale D'Angelo
- IMEM-CNR, Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism-National Research Council, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
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Wöltje M, Isenberg KL, Cherif C, Aibibu D. Continuous Wet Spinning of Regenerated Silk Fibers from Spinning Dopes Containing 4% Fibroin Protein. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13492. [PMID: 37686298 PMCID: PMC10487761 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The wet spinning of fibers from regenerated silk fibroin has long been a research goal. Due to the degradation of the molecular structure of the fibroin protein during the preparation of the regenerated silk fibroin solution, fibroin concentrations with at least 10% protein content are required to achieve sufficient viscosity for wet spinning. In this study, a spinning dope formulation of regenerated silk fibroin is presented that shows a rheological behavior similar to that of native silk fibroin isolated from the glands of B. mori silkworm larvae. In addition, we present a wet-spinning process that enables, for the first time, the continuous wet spinning of regenerated silk fibroin with only 4% fibroin protein content into an endless fiber. Furthermore, the tensile strength of these wet-spun regenerated silk fibroin fibers per percentage of fibroin is higher than that of all continuous spinning approaches applied to regenerated and native silk fibroin published so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Wöltje
- Institute of Textile Machinery and High-Performance Material Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering, TUD Dresden University of Technology, 01069 Dresden, Germany
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Kumar Sahi A, Gundu S, Kumari P, Klepka T, Sionkowska A. Silk-Based Biomaterials for Designing Bioinspired Microarchitecture for Various Biomedical Applications. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:biomimetics8010055. [PMID: 36810386 PMCID: PMC9944155 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8010055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomaterial research has led to revolutionary healthcare advances. Natural biological macromolecules can impact high-performance, multipurpose materials. This has prompted the quest for affordable healthcare solutions, with a focus on renewable biomaterials with a wide variety of applications and ecologically friendly techniques. Imitating their chemical compositions and hierarchical structures, bioinspired based materials have elevated rapidly over the past few decades. Bio-inspired strategies entail extracting fundamental components and reassembling them into programmable biomaterials. This method may improve its processability and modifiability, allowing it to meet the biological application criteria. Silk is a desirable biosourced raw material due to its high mechanical properties, flexibility, bioactive component sequestration, controlled biodegradability, remarkable biocompatibility, and inexpensiveness. Silk regulates temporo-spatial, biochemical and biophysical reactions. Extracellular biophysical factors regulate cellular destiny dynamically. This review examines the bioinspired structural and functional properties of silk material based scaffolds. We explored silk types, chemical composition, architecture, mechanical properties, topography, and 3D geometry to unlock the body's innate regenerative potential, keeping in mind the novel biophysical properties of silk in film, fiber, and other potential forms, coupled with facile chemical changes, and its ability to match functional requirements for specific tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Kumar Sahi
- Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Jurija Gagarina 11, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
- Correspondence: (A.K.S.); (A.S.)
| | - Shravanya Gundu
- Indian Institute of Technology, School of Biomedical Engineering, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Pooja Kumari
- Indian Institute of Technology, School of Biomedical Engineering, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Tomasz Klepka
- Department of Technology and Polymer Processing, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Lublin University of Technology, 36, Nadbystrzycka Str, 20-618 Lublin, Poland
| | - Alina Sionkowska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Jurija Gagarina 11, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
- Calisia University, Nowy Świat 4, 62-800 Kalisz, Poland
- Correspondence: (A.K.S.); (A.S.)
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Shen R, Guo Y, Wang S, Tuerxun A, He J, Bian Y. Biodegradable Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes as Promising Candidates for the Development of Face Masks. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1306. [PMID: 36674061 PMCID: PMC9858797 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Aerosol particles, such as the widespread COVID-19 recently, have posed a great threat to humans. Combat experience has proven that masks can protect against viruses; however, the epidemic in recent years has caused serious environmental pollution from plastic medical supplies, especially masks. Degradable filters are promising candidates to alleviate this problem. Degradable nanofiber filters, which are developed by the electrospinning technique, can achieve superior filtration performance. This review focuses on the basic introduction to air filtration, the general aspects of face masks, and nanofibers. Furthermore, the progress of the state of art degradable electrospun nanofiber filters have been summarized, such as silk fibroin (SF), polylactic acid (PLA), chitosan, cellulose, and zein. Finally, the challenges and future development are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ye Bian
- Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
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Croft AS, Spessot E, Bhattacharjee P, Yang Y, Motta A, Wöltje M, Gantenbein B. Biomedical applications of silk and its role for intervertebral disc repair. JOR Spine 2022; 5:e1225. [PMID: 36601376 PMCID: PMC9799090 DOI: 10.1002/jsp2.1225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD) is the main contributor to chronic low back pain. To date, the present therapies mainly focus on treating the symptoms caused by IDD rather than addressing the problem itself. For this reason, researchers have searched for a suitable biomaterial to repair and/or regenerate the IVD. A promising candidate to fill this gap is silk, which has already been used as a biomaterial for many years. Therefore, this review aims first to elaborate on the different origins from which silk is harvested, the individual composition, and the characteristics of each silk type. Another goal is to enlighten why silk is so suitable as a biomaterial, discuss its functionalization, and how it could be used for tissue engineering purposes. The second part of this review aims to provide an overview of preclinical studies using silk-based biomaterials to repair the inner region of the IVD, the nucleus pulposus (NP), and the IVD's outer area, the annulus fibrosus (AF). Since the NP and the AF differ fundamentally in their structure, different therapeutic approaches are required. Consequently, silk-containing hydrogels have been used mainly to repair the NP, and silk-based scaffolds have been used for the AF. Although most preclinical studies have shown promising results in IVD-related repair and regeneration, their clinical transition is yet to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas S. Croft
- Tissue Engineering for Orthopaedic & Mechanobiology, Bone & Joint Program, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), Medical FacultyUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Eugenia Spessot
- Department of Industrial Engineering and BIOtech Research CenterUniversity of TrentoTrentoItaly,European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine UnitTrentoItaly
| | - Promita Bhattacharjee
- Department of Chemical SciencesSSPC the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Pharmaceuticals, Bernal Institute, University of LimerickLimerickIreland
| | - Yuejiao Yang
- Department of Industrial Engineering and BIOtech Research CenterUniversity of TrentoTrentoItaly,European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine UnitTrentoItaly,INSTM, Trento Research Unit, Interuniversity Consortium for Science and Technology of MaterialsTrentoItaly
| | - Antonella Motta
- Department of Industrial Engineering and BIOtech Research CenterUniversity of TrentoTrentoItaly,European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine UnitTrentoItaly,INSTM, Trento Research Unit, Interuniversity Consortium for Science and Technology of MaterialsTrentoItaly
| | - Michael Wöltje
- Institute of Textile Machinery and High Performance Material TechnologyDresdenGermany
| | - Benjamin Gantenbein
- Tissue Engineering for Orthopaedic & Mechanobiology, Bone & Joint Program, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), Medical FacultyUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology, InselspitalBern University Hospital, Medical Faculty, University of BernBernSwitzerland
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Lujerdean C, Baci GM, Cucu AA, Dezmirean DS. The Contribution of Silk Fibroin in Biomedical Engineering. INSECTS 2022; 13:286. [PMID: 35323584 PMCID: PMC8950689 DOI: 10.3390/insects13030286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Silk fibroin (SF) is a natural protein (biopolymer) extracted from the cocoons of Bombyx mori L. (silkworm). It has many properties of interest in the field of biotechnology, the most important being biodegradability, biocompatibility and robust mechanical strength with high tensile strength. SF is usually dissolved in water-based solvents and can be easily reconstructed into a variety of material formats, including films, mats, hydrogels, and sponges, by various fabrication techniques (spin coating, electrospinning, freeze-drying, and physical or chemical crosslinking). Furthermore, SF is a feasible material used in many biomedical applications, including tissue engineering (3D scaffolds, wounds dressing), cancer therapy (mimicking the tumor microenvironment), controlled drug delivery (SF-based complexes), and bone, eye and skin regeneration. In this review, we describe the structure, composition, general properties, and structure-properties relationship of SF. In addition, the main methods used for ecological extraction and processing of SF that make it a green material are discussed. Lastly, technological advances in the use of SF-based materials are addressed, especially in healthcare applications such as tissue engineering and cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Lujerdean
- Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.-A.C.); (D.S.D.)
| | - Gabriela-Maria Baci
- Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.-A.C.); (D.S.D.)
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