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Wu C, Duan Y, Yu L, Hu Y, Zhao C, Ji C, Guo X, Zhang S, Dai X, Ma P, Wang Q, Ling S, Yang X, Dai Q. In-situ observation of silk nanofibril assembly via graphene plasmonic infrared sensor. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4643. [PMID: 38821959 PMCID: PMC11143229 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49076-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Silk nanofibrils (SNFs), the fundamental building blocks of silk fibers, endow them with exceptional properties. However, the intricate mechanism governing SNF assembly, a process involving both protein conformational transitions and protein molecule conjunctions, remains elusive. This lack of understanding has hindered the development of artificial silk spinning techniques. In this study, we address this challenge by employing a graphene plasmonic infrared sensor in conjunction with multi-scale molecular dynamics (MD). This unique approach allows us to probe the secondary structure of nanoscale assembly intermediates (0.8-6.2 nm) and their morphological evolution. It also provides insights into the dynamics of silk fibroin (SF) over extended molecular timeframes. Our novel findings reveal that amorphous SFs undergo a conformational transition towards β-sheet-rich oligomers on graphene. These oligomers then connect to evolve into SNFs. These insights provide a comprehensive picture of SNF assembly, paving the way for advancements in biomimetic silk spinning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenchen Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yu Duan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- Henan Institute of Advanced Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Lintao Yu
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
- Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Yao Hu
- Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Chenxi Zhao
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
- Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Chunwang Ji
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Xiangdong Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Shu Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaokang Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Puyi Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
| | - Shengjie Ling
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.
- Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, Shanghai, 201210, China.
| | - Xiaoxia Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China.
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Qing Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China.
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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Kamada A, Toprakcioglu Z, Knowles TPJ. Kinetic Analysis Reveals the Role of Secondary Nucleation in Regenerated Silk Fibroin Self-Assembly. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:1709-1716. [PMID: 36926854 PMCID: PMC10091410 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Silk proteins obtained from the Bombyx mori silkworm have been extensively studied due to their remarkable mechanical properties. One of the major structural components of this complex material is silk fibroin, which can be isolated and processed further in vitro to form artificial functional materials. Due to the excellent biocompatibility and rich self-assembly behavior, there has been sustained interest in such materials formed through the assembly of regenerated silk fibroin feedstocks. The molecular mechanisms by which the soluble regenerated fibroin molecules self-assemble into protein nanofibrils remain, however, largely unknown. Here, we use the framework of chemical kinetics to connect macroscopic measurements of regenerated silk fibroin self-assembly to the underlying microscopic mechanisms. Our results reveal that the aggregation of regenerated silk fibroin is dominated by a nonclassical secondary nucleation processes, where the formation of new fibrils is catalyzed by the existing aggregates in an autocatalytic manner. Such secondary nucleation pathways were originally discovered in the context of polymerization of disease-associated proteins, but the present results demonstrate that this pathway can also occur in functional assembly. Furthermore, our results show that shear flow induces the formation of nuclei, which subsequently accelerate the process of aggregation through an autocatalytic amplification driven by the secondary nucleation pathway. Taken together, these results allow us to identify the parameters governing the kinetics of regenerated silk fibroin self-assembly and expand our current understanding of the spinning of bioinspired protein-based fibers, which have a wide range of applications in materials science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayaka Kamada
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Zenon Toprakcioglu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.,Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FE, U.K
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Hu Y, Ma Y, Liu L, Yu J, Cui J, Ling S, Fan Y. Nanosilk Template-Guided/Induced Construction of Brush-/Flower-like 3D Nanostructures. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023. [PMID: 36916656 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c20339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Biomaterials with natural hierarchical structures typically exhibit extraordinary properties because of their multilevel structural designs. They offer many templates and models as well as inspiration for material design, particularly for fabricating structure-regulated, performance-enhanced, and function-enriched materials. Biopolymer-based nanocomposites with ingenious nanostructures constructed through ecofriendly and sustainable approaches are highly desirable to meet the multifunctional requirements of developing bioinspired materials. Herein, an all-silk fibroin-based nanocomposite with a brush-like nanostructure was constructed for the first time using a nanotemplate-guided assembly approach in which dissolved silk assembled directly on a silk nanowhisker (SNW) backbone to form peculiar nanobrushes based on the classical micelle model. Three-dimensional spider-like or centipede-like silk nanobrushes (SNBs) were fabricated by varying the SNW backbone length from 0.16 to 6 μm. The branches with average lengths of 32-290 nm were also adjustable. SNBs were further designed to regulate and induce biomineralization of hydroxyapatite (HAP) to form interesting flower-like nanostructures, in which the HAP nanosphere (diameters ∼16 nm) "core" was covered by SNBs with branches extending to form a "shell" (∼101 nm in length). Based on such protein nanotemplate-guided formation of nanoscale structures, practical hollow conduits with remarkable mechanical properties, biocompatibility, shape memory behavior, and bone engineering potential were fabricated. This study inspires the design of polymorphous biopolymer-based nanostructures with enhanced performance at multiple length scales where the weaknesses of individual building blocks are offset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlei Hu
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No. 159 Lonpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China
| | - Yue Ma
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No. 159 Lonpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China
| | - Liang Liu
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No. 159 Lonpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China
| | - Juan Yu
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No. 159 Lonpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China
| | - Jing Cui
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, No. 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Shengjie Ling
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, No. 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yimin Fan
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No. 159 Lonpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China
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Yang F, Cai B, Gu H, Wang F. Comparative Investigation on the Structure and Properties of Protein Films from Domestic and Wild Silkworms through Ultrasonic Regeneration. J Mol Struct 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2023.135255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
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5
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Chen Z, Wang L, Guo C, Qiu M, Cheng L, Chen K, Qi J, Deng L, He C, Li X, Yan Y. Vascularized polypeptide hydrogel modulates macrophage polarization for wound healing. Acta Biomater 2023; 155:218-234. [PMID: 36396041 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Wound repair involves a sophisticated process that includes angiogenesis, immunoregulation and collagen deposition. However, weak revascularization performance and the lack of biochemical cues to trigger immunomodulatory function currently limit biomaterial applications for skin regeneration and tissue engineering. Herein, we fabricate a new bioactive polypeptide hydrogel (QK-SF) constituted by silk fibroin (SF) and a vascular endothelial growth factor mimetic peptide KLTWQELYQLKYKGI (QK) for tissue regeneration by simultaneously promoting vascularization and macrophage polarization. Our results showed that this QK-SF hydrogel can be prepared via an easy manufacturing process, and exhibited good gel stability and low cytotoxicity to cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) via both live/dead and cell counting kit-8 assays. Importantly, this QK-SF hydrogel triggered macrophage polarization from M1 into M2, as exemplified by the enhanced expression of the M2 marker and decreased expression of the M1 marker in RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, the QK-SF hydrogel showed high capacity for inducing endothelial growth, migration and angiogenesis, which were proved by increased expression of angiogenesis-related genes in HUVECs. Consistent with in vitro findings, in vivo data show that the QK-SF hydrogel promoted M2 polarization, keratinocyte differentiation, and collagen deposition in the mouse skin wound model in immunohistochemistry assay. Furthermore, this QK-SF hydrogel can reduce inflammation, induce angiogenesis and promote wound healing as exemplified by the increased vessel formation and decreased wound area in the mouse skin wound model. Altogether, these results indicate that the bioactive QK-SF hydrogel plays dual functional roles in promoting angiogenesis and immunoregulation for tissue regeneration. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The QK-SF hydrogel plays dual functional roles in promoting angiogenesis and immunoregulation for tissue repair and wound healing. The QK-SF hydrogel can be prepared via an easy manufacturing process, and exhibited good gel stability and low cytotoxicity to cultured HUVECs. The QK-SF hydrogel triggered macrophage polarization from M1 into M2. The QK-SF hydrogel showed high capacity for inducing endothelial growth, migration and angiogenesis. The QK-SF hydrogel promoted M2 polarization, keratinocyte differentiation, and collagen deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijie Chen
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, PR China; Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, Shanghai 200025, PR China
| | - Lianlian Wang
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China
| | - Changjun Guo
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, Shanghai 200025, PR China
| | - Minglong Qiu
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, Shanghai 200025, PR China
| | - Liang Cheng
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, Shanghai 200025, PR China
| | - Kaizhe Chen
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, Shanghai 200025, PR China
| | - Jin Qi
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, Shanghai 200025, PR China
| | - Lianfu Deng
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, Shanghai 200025, PR China
| | - Chuan He
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, Shanghai 200025, PR China.
| | - Xinming Li
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China.
| | - Yufei Yan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200233, PR China; Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin 2nd Road, Shanghai 200025, PR China.
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Cianci C, Chelazzi D, Poggi G, Modi F, Giorgi R, Laurati M. Hybrid fibroin-nanocellulose composites for the consolidation of aged and historical silk. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2021.127944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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7
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Wyss CS, Karami P, Demongeot A, Bourban PE, Pioletti DP. Silk granular hydrogels self-reinforced with regenerated silk fibroin fibers. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:7038-7046. [PMID: 34251015 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm00585e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Granular hydrogels with high stability, strength, and toughness are laborious to develop. Post-curing is often employed to bind microgels chemically and enhance mechanical properties. Here a unique strategy was investigated to maintain microgels together with a novel self-reinforced silk granular hydrogel composed of 10 wt% 20 kDa poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate microgels and regenerated silk fibroin fibers. The principle is to use the swelling of microgels to concentrate the surrounding solution and regenerate silk fibroin in situ. Self-reinforcement is subsequently one of the added functions. We showed that silk fibroin in most compositions was homogeneously distributed and had successfully regenerated in situ around microgels, holding them together in a network-like structure. FTIR analysis revealed the presence of amorphous and crystalline silk fibroin, where 50% of the secondary structures could be assigned to strong β-sheets. Swelling ratios, i.e. 10-45 vol%, increased proportionally with the microgel content, suggesting that mainly microgels governed swelling. In contrast, the elastic modulus, i.e. 58-296 kPa, increased almost linearly with silk fibroin content. Moreover, we showed that the precursor could be injected and cast into a given shape. Viscous precursors of various compositions were also placed side by side to create mechanical gradients. Finally, it was demonstrated that silk granular hydrogel could successfully be synthesized with other microgels like gelatin methacryloyl. Silk granular hydrogels represent, therefore, a novel class of self-reinforced hydrogel structures with tunable swelling and elastic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Samira Wyss
- Laboratory for Processing of Advanced Composites (LPAC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Peyman Karami
- Laboratory of Biomechanical Orthopedics (LBO), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Adrien Demongeot
- Laboratory for Processing of Advanced Composites (LPAC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Pierre-Etienne Bourban
- Laboratory for Processing of Advanced Composites (LPAC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Dominique P Pioletti
- Laboratory of Biomechanical Orthopedics (LBO), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Zhang T, Xu J, Chen J, Wang Z, Wang X, Zhong J. Protein nanoparticles for Pickering emulsions: A comprehensive review on their shapes, preparation methods, and modification methods. Trends Food Sci Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2021.04.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Nanoscale Material Heterogeneity of Glowworm Capture Threads Revealed by AFM. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26123500. [PMID: 34201363 PMCID: PMC8226719 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26123500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Adhesive materials used by many arthropods for biological functions incorporate sticky substances and a supporting material that operate synergistically by exploiting substrate attachment and energy dissipation. While there has been much focus on the composition and properties of the sticky glues of these bio-composites, less attention has been given to the materials that support them. In particular, as these materials are primarily responsible for dissipation during adhesive pull-off, little is known of the structures that give rise to functionality, especially at the nano-scale. In this study we used tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM) to analyze unstretched and stretched glowworm (Arachnocampa tasmaniensis) capture threads and revealed nano-scale features corresponding to variation in surface structure and elastic modulus near the surface of the silk. Phase images demonstrated a high resolution of viscoelastic variation and revealed mostly globular and elongated features in the material. Increased vertical orientation of 11–15 nm wide fibrillar features was observed in stretched threads. Fast Fourier transform analysis of phase images confirmed these results. Relative viscoelastic properties were also highly variable at inter- and intra-individual levels. Results of this study demonstrate the practical usefulness of TM-AFM, especially phase angle imaging, in investigating the nano-scale structures that give rise to macro-scale function of soft and highly heterogeneous materials of both natural and synthetic origins.
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Wang F, Li Y, Gough CR, Liu Q, Hu X. Dual-Crystallizable Silk Fibroin/Poly(L-lactic Acid) Biocomposite Films: Effect of Polymer Phases on Protein Structures in Protein-Polymer Blends. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041871. [PMID: 33668676 PMCID: PMC7918901 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Biopolymer composites based on silk fibroin have shown widespread potential due to their brilliant applications in tissue engineering, medicine and bioelectronics. In our present work, biocomposite nanofilms with different special topologies were obtained through blending silk fibroin with crystallizable poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) at various mixture rates using a stirring-reflux condensation blending method. The microstructure, phase components, and miscibility of the blended films were studied through thermal analysis in combination with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman analysis. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope were also used for advanced structural analysis. Furthermore, their conformation transition, interaction mechanism, and thermal stability were also discussed. The results showed that the hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions existed between silk fibroin (SF) and PLLA polymer chains in the blended films. The secondary structures of silk fibroin and phase components of PLLA in composites vary at different ratios of silk to PLLA. The β-sheet content increased with the increase of the silk fibroin content, while the glass transition temperature was raised mainly due to the rigid amorphous phase presence in the blended system. This results in an increase in thermal stability in blended films compared to the pure silk fibroin films. This study provided detailed insights into the influence of synthetic polymer phases (crystalline, rigid amorphous, and mobile amorphous) on protein secondary structures through blending, which has direct applications on the design and fabrication of novel protein–synthetic polymer composites for the biomedical and green chemistry fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Wang
- Center of Analysis and Testing, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; (Y.L.); (Q.L.)
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Correspondence: (F.W.); (X.H.); Tel.: +86-25-8589-8173 (F.W.); +1-856-256-4860 (X.H.)
| | - Yingying Li
- Center of Analysis and Testing, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; (Y.L.); (Q.L.)
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Christopher R. Gough
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA;
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Qichun Liu
- Center of Analysis and Testing, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; (Y.L.); (Q.L.)
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xiao Hu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA;
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
- Correspondence: (F.W.); (X.H.); Tel.: +86-25-8589-8173 (F.W.); +1-856-256-4860 (X.H.)
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Development of robust, ultra-smooth, flexible and transparent regenerated silk composite films for bio-integrated electronic device applications. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 176:498-509. [PMID: 33571588 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.02.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Regenerated Silk Fibroin (RSF) films are considered promising substrate candidates primarily in the field of bio-integrated electronic device applications. The key issues that ought to be addressed to exploit the inherent advantages of silk thin films include enhancing their flexibility and chemical durability. Such films find a plethora of applications, the significant one being conformal, transparent microelectrode arrays. Elevated temperatures that are regularly used in lithographic processes tend to dehydrate RSF films, making them brittle. Furthermore, the solvents/etchants used in typical device fabrication results in the formation of micro-cracks. This paper addressed both these issues by developing composite films and studying the effect of biodegradable additives in enhancing flexibility and chemical durability without compromising on optical transparency and surface smoothness. Through our rigorous experimentation, regenerated silk blended with Polyvinyl Alcohol (Silk/PVA) is identified as the composite for achieving the objectives. Furthermore, the Cyto-compatibility studies suggest that Silk/PVA, along with all other silk composites, have shown above 80% cell viability, as verified using L929 fibroblast cell lines. Going a step further, we demonstrated the successful patterning of 32 channel optically transparent microelectrode array (MEA) pattern, with a minimum feature size of 5 μm above the free-standing and optically transparent Silk/PVA composite film.
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Abstract
Silk fibroin from Bombyx mori (silkworm) distinguishes for its unique mechanical performance, controllable degradation rates, and easily large-scale production, making it attractive models for a variety of biomaterial design. These outstanding properties of silk fibroin originate from its unique modular composition of silk proteins. To exploit the structure-function relationship and fabricate silk fibroin-based biomaterials, comprehensive strategies to uncover assembly behaviors of fibrous proteins are necessary. This chapter describes methods to produce regenerated silk fibroin protein from Bombyx mori silk and their self-assembly strategies. This could provide insight into the fabrication of various silk fibroin-based biomaterials, such as hydrogels, tubes, sponges, fibers, microspheres, and diverse thin film patterns, which can be used for textiles, electronics and optics, environmental engineering, and biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Kong
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
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Xiao Y, Liu Y, Zhang W, Qi P, Ren J, Pei Y, Ling S. Formation, Structure, and Mechanical Performance of Silk Nanofibrils Produced by Heat-Induced Self-Assembly. Macromol Rapid Commun 2020; 42:e2000435. [PMID: 33196127 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202000435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The heat-induced self-assembly of silk fibroin (SF) is studied by combing fluorescence assessment, infrared nanospectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray scattering, and Derjaguin-Muller-Toporov coupled with atomic force microscopy. Several fundamental issues regarding the formation, structure, and mechanical performance of silk nanofibrils (SNFs) under heat-induced self-assembly are discussed. Accordingly, SF in aqueous solution is rod-like in shape and not micellar. The formation of SNFs occurs through nucleation-dependent aggregation, but the assembly period is variable and irregular. SF shows inherent fractal growth, and this trend is critical for the short-term assembly. The long-term assembly of SF, however, mainly involves an elongation growth process. SNFs produced by different methods, such as ethanol treatment and heat incubation, have similar secondary structure and mechanical properties. These investigations improve the in-depth understanding of fundamental issues related to self-assembly of SNFs, and thus provide inspiration and guidance in designing of silk nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuelong Xiao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yawen Liu
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Wenwen Zhang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Ping Qi
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Jing Ren
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Ying Pei
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Shengjie Ling
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
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14
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Tailoring silk fibroin separator membranes pore size for improving performance of lithium ion batteries. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.117678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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15
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Jia L, Zhang J, Liu S, Chen S, Zhu J. Visible sensing of conformational transition in model silk peptides based on a gold nanoparticles indicator. RSC Adv 2019; 9:40924-40932. [PMID: 35540090 PMCID: PMC9076423 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra05842g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand protein structural transition and β-sheet formation is of importance in disparate areas such as silk protein processing and disease related β-amyloid behavior. Herein, GAGSGAGAGSGAGY (GY-14), a tetradecapeptide based on the crystallizable sequence of silk fibroin, was employed as a model peptide of the crystalline regions of silk fibroin. Due to the incorporation of tyrosine (Y), GY-14 was able to reduce Au3+ to Au NPs and further stabilize them without any external reducing or capping reagents to produce GY-14 stabilized Au NPs (GY-14@Au NPs). The in situ prepared GY-14@Au NPs were utilized as a built-in colorimetric indicator. The influences of specified physiological factors including decreasing the pH, the addition of calcium ions and isopropanol treatment on the self-assembly behavior of GY-14@Au NPs in aqueous solution have been studied. On the basis of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and circular dichroism (CD) measurements, the color changes and the UV-Vis absorption peak shift of GY-14@Au NPs were attributed to the conformational change of the GY-14 peptide. The colorimetric readout can be seen with the naked eye, providing an efficient indicator to study the conformational changes of peptides exposed to various environmental stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Jia
- Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Material Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of TechnologyTaiyuan030024P. R. China
| | - Jiabing Zhang
- Department Pharmacy and Machinery, China Railway 12 Bureau Group Central HospitalTaiyuan030024P. R. China
| | - Sumei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Material Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of TechnologyTaiyuan030024P. R. China
| | - Song Chen
- Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Material Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of TechnologyTaiyuan030024P. R. China
| | - Jingxin Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Material Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of TechnologyTaiyuan030024P. R. China
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16
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Sha J, Chen X, Ma L. Concentration‐dependent conformation transition of regenerated silk fibroin induced by graphene oxide nanosheets incorporation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/polb.24895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jin Sha
- School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 China
| | - Xin Chen
- School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 China
| | - Liang Ma
- School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 China
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17
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Cubayachi C, Lemos CN, Pereira F, Dias K, Herculano RD, de Freitas O, Lopez RF. Silk fibroin films stabilizes and releases bioactive insulin for the treatment of corneal wounds. Eur Polym J 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2019.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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18
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Reizabal A, Gonçalves S, Brito-Pereira R, Costa P, Costa CM, Pérez-Álvarez L, Vilas-Vilela JL, Lanceros-Méndez S. Optimized silk fibroin piezoresistive nanocomposites for pressure sensing applications based on natural polymers. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2019; 1:2284-2292. [PMID: 36131973 PMCID: PMC9417311 DOI: 10.1039/c8na00417j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Environmental issues promote the development of sensors based on natural polymers which are becoming an area of increasing interest. Piezoresistive sensors based on silk fibroin with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as fillers were produced by solvent-casting in order to tune their electrical conductivity and electromechanical responses. It is shown that the carbonaceous fillers are well dispersed in the polymer matrix and the thermal and mechanical properties are independent of the CNT content. On the other hand, the inclusion of CNTs reduces the β-sheet content of silk fibroin and the electrical properties of the composite strongly depend on the filler content, the percolation threshold being around 1 wt% CNTs. The piezoresistive response demonstrates good reproducibility during cyclic loading without hysteresis with a piezoresistive sensitivity of ∼4 MPa-1, regardless of the CNT content. Overall, the results confirm that polymer composites based on natural polymers exhibit excellent piezoresistive responses, also demonstrated by the implementation and testing of a pressure sensor with the corresponding readout electronics. Thus, it is shown that natural polymers such as silk fibroin will allow the development of a new generation of multifunctional force and deformation sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ander Reizabal
- BCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications and Nanostructures, UPV/EHU Science Park 48940 Leioa Spain
- Macromolecular Chemistry Research Group (LABQUIMAC), Dept. of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) Spain
| | - Sérgio Gonçalves
- Center of Physics, University of Minho 4710-058 Braga Portugal
- Centro ALGORITMI, University of Minho, Campus de Azurém 4800-058 Guimarães Portugal
- EngageLab, University of Minho 4810-453 Guimarães Portugal
| | | | - Pedro Costa
- Center of Physics, University of Minho 4710-058 Braga Portugal
- Institute for Polymers and Composites IPC/i3N, University of Minho 4800-058 Guimarães Portugal
| | - Carlos M Costa
- Center of Physics, University of Minho 4710-058 Braga Portugal
- Center of Chemistry, University of Minho 4710-058 Braga Portugal
| | - Leyre Pérez-Álvarez
- BCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications and Nanostructures, UPV/EHU Science Park 48940 Leioa Spain
- Macromolecular Chemistry Research Group (LABQUIMAC), Dept. of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) Spain
| | - Jose Luis Vilas-Vilela
- BCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications and Nanostructures, UPV/EHU Science Park 48940 Leioa Spain
- Macromolecular Chemistry Research Group (LABQUIMAC), Dept. of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) Spain
| | - Senentxu Lanceros-Méndez
- BCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications and Nanostructures, UPV/EHU Science Park 48940 Leioa Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science 48013 Bilbao Spain
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19
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Shi C, He Y, Ding M, Wang Y, Zhong J. Nanoimaging of food proteins by atomic force microscopy. Part I: Components, imaging modes, observation ways, and research types. Trends Food Sci Technol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2018.11.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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20
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Shi C, He Y, Ding M, Wang Y, Zhong J. Nanoimaging of food proteins by atomic force microscopy. Part II: Application for food proteins from different sources. Trends Food Sci Technol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2018.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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21
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Wang Y, Guo J, Zhou L, Ye C, Omenetto FG, Kaplan DL, Ling S. Design, Fabrication, and Function of Silk-Based Nanomaterials. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2018; 28:1805305. [PMID: 32440262 PMCID: PMC7241600 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201805305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Animal silks are built from pure protein components and their mechanical performance, such as strength and toughness, often exceed most engineered materials. The secret to this success is their unique nanoarchitectures that are formed through the hierarchical self-assembly of silk proteins. This natural material fabrication process in sharp contrast to the production of artificial silk materials, which usually are directly constructed as bulk structures from silk fibroin (SF) molecular. In recent years, with the aim of understanding and building better silk materials, a variety of fabrication strategies have been designed to control nanostructures of silks or to create functional materials from silk nanoscale building blocks. These emerging fabrication strategies offer an opportunity to tailor the structure of SF at the nanoscale and provide a promising route to produce structurally and functionally optimized silk nanomaterials. Here, we review the critical roles of silk nanoarchitectures on property and function of natural silk fibers, outline the strategies of utilization of these silk nanobuilding blocks, and we provide a critical summary of state of the art in the field to create silk nanoarchitectures and to generate silk-based nanocomponents. Further, such insights suggest templates to consider for other materials systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, MA 02155, USA
| | - Jin Guo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, MA 02155, USA; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, MA 02155, USA
| | - Liang Zhou
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, AnHui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Chao Ye
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | | | - David L Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, MA 02155, USA
| | - Shengjie Ling
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
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22
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Chouhan D, Lohe TU, Samudrala PK, Mandal BB. In Situ Forming Injectable Silk Fibroin Hydrogel Promotes Skin Regeneration in Full Thickness Burn Wounds. Adv Healthc Mater 2018; 7:e1801092. [PMID: 30379407 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201801092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Full-thickness skin wounds, associated with deep burns or chronic wounds pose a major clinical problem. Herein, the development of in situ forming hydrogel using a natural silk fibroin (SF) biomaterial for treating burn wounds is reported. Blends of SF solutions isolated from Bombyx mori and Antheraea assama show inherent self-assembly between silk proteins and lead to irreversible gelation at body temperature. Investigation of the gelation mechanism reveals crosslinking due to formation of β-sheet structures as examined by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The SF hydrogel supports proliferation of primary human dermal fibroblasts and migration of keratinocytes comparable to collagen gel (Col) as examined under in vitro conditions. The SF hydrogel also provides an instructive and supportive matrix to the full-thickness third-degree burn wounds in vivo. A 3-week comparative study with Col indicates that SF hydrogel not only promotes wound healing but also shows transitions from inflammation to proliferation stage as observed through the expression of TNF-α and CD163 genes. Further, deposition and remodeling of collagen type I and III fibers suggests an enhanced overall tissue regeneration. Comparable results with Col demonstrate the SF hydrogel as an effective and inexpensive formulation toward a potential therapeutic approach for burn wound treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimple Chouhan
- Biomaterial and Tissue Engineering Laboratory; Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering; Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati; Guwahati 781039 Assam India
| | - Tshewuzo-u Lohe
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology; National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Guwahati; Guwahati 781039 Assam India
| | - Pavan Kumar Samudrala
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology; National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Guwahati; Guwahati 781039 Assam India
| | - Biman B. Mandal
- Biomaterial and Tissue Engineering Laboratory; Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering; Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati; Guwahati 781039 Assam India
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23
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Badillo-Sanchez D, Chelazzi D, Giorgi R, Cincinelli A, Baglioni P. Characterization of the secondary structure of degummed Bombyx mori silk in modern and historical samples. Polym Degrad Stab 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2018.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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24
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Ling S, Chen W, Fan Y, Zheng K, Jin K, Yu H, Buehler MJ, Kaplan DL. Biopolymer nanofibrils: structure, modeling, preparation, and applications. Prog Polym Sci 2018; 85:1-56. [PMID: 31915410 PMCID: PMC6948189 DOI: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2018.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Biopolymer nanofibrils exhibit exceptional mechanical properties with a unique combination of strength and toughness, while also presenting biological functions that interact with the surrounding environment. These features of biopolymer nanofibrils profit from their hierarchical structures that spun angstrom to hundreds of nanometer scales. To maintain these unique structural features and to directly utilize these natural supramolecular assemblies, a variety of new methods have been developed to produce biopolymer nanofibrils. In particular, cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), chitin nanofibrils (ChNFs), silk nanofibrils (SNFs) and collagen nanofibrils (CoNFs), as the four most abundant biopolymer nanofibrils on earth, have been the focus of research in recent years due to their renewable features, wide availability, low-cost, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. A series of top-down and bottom-up strategies have been accessed to exfoliate and regenerate these nanofibrils for versatile advanced applications. In this review, we first summarize the structures of biopolymer nanofibrils in nature and outline their related computational models with the aim of disclosing fundamental structure-property relationships in biological materials. Then, we discuss the underlying methods used for the preparation of CNFs, ChNFs, SNF and CoNFs, and discuss emerging applications for these biopolymer nanofibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengjie Ling
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Wenshuai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Yimin Fan
- College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ke Zheng
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Kai Jin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Haipeng Yu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Markus J. Buehler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - David L. Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
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25
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Zheng K, Ling S. De Novo Design of Recombinant Spider Silk Proteins for Material Applications. Biotechnol J 2018; 14:e1700753. [PMID: 29781251 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201700753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Revised: 04/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Spider silks are well known for their superior mechanical properties that are stronger and tougher than steel despite being assembled at close to ambient conditions and using water as the solvent. However, it is a significant challenge to utilize spider silks for practical applications due to their limited sources. Fortunately, genetic engineering techniques offer a promising approach to produce useable amounts of spider silk variants. Starting from these recombinant spider silk proteins, a series of experiments and simulations strategies are developed to improve the recombinant spider silk proteins (RSSP) material design and fabrication with the aim of biomimicking the structure-property-function relationships of spider silks. Accordingly, in this review, the authors first introduce the structure-property-function relationship of spider silks. Then, the recent progress in the genetic synthesis of RSSPs is discussed and their related multiscale self-assembly behaviors is summarized. Finally, the authors outline works utilizing multiscale modeling to assist RSSP material design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Zheng
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Shengjie Ling
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
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26
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Pereira RFP, Brito-Pereira R, Gonçalves R, Silva MP, Costa CM, Silva MM, de Zea Bermudez V, Lanceros-Méndez S. Silk Fibroin Separators: A Step Toward Lithium-Ion Batteries with Enhanced Sustainability. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2018; 10:5385-5394. [PMID: 29369609 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b13802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Battery separators based on silk fibroin (SF) have been prepared aiming at improving the environmental issues of lithium-ion batteries. SF materials with three different morphologies were produced: membrane films (SF-F), sponges prepared by lyophilization (SF-L), and electrospun membranes (SF-E). The latter materials presented a suitable porous three-dimensional microstructure and were soaked with a 1 M LiPF6 electrolyte. The ionic conductivities for SF-L and SF-E were 1.00 and 0.32 mS cm-1 at 20 °C, respectively. A correlation between the fraction of β-sheet conformations and the ionic conductivity was observed. The electrochemical performance of the SF-based materials was evaluated by incorporating them in cathodic half-cells with C-LiFePO4. The discharge capacities of SF-L and SF-E were 126 and 108 mA h g-1, respectively, at the C/2-rate and 99 and 54 mA h g-1, respectively, at the 2C-rate. Furthermore, the capacity retention and capacity fade of the SF-L membrane after 50 cycles at the 2C-rate were 72 and 5%, respectively. These electrochemical results show that a high percentage of β-sheet conformations were of prime importance to guarantee excellent cycling performance. This work demonstrates that SF-based membranes are appropriate separators for the production of environmentally friendlier lithium-ion batteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui F P Pereira
- Departamento de Química, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro , 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | | | | | - Marco P Silva
- C-MAST-Centre for Mechanical and Aerospace Science and Technologies, Universidade da Beira Interior , 6200-001 Covilhã, Portugal
| | | | | | - Verónica de Zea Bermudez
- Departamento de Química, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro , 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- CQ-VR Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro , 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Senentxu Lanceros-Méndez
- BCMaterials, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Bizkaia , 48160 Derio, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science , Bilbao 48013, Spain
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27
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Schamel M, Barralet JE, Gelinsky M, Groll J, Gbureck U. Intrinsic 3D Prestressing: A New Route for Increasing Strength and Improving Toughness of Hybrid Inorganic Biocements. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2017; 29:1701035. [PMID: 28714141 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201701035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Revised: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Cement is the most consumed resource and is the most widely used material globally. The ability to extrinsically prestress cementitious materials with tendons usually made from steel allows the creation of high-strength bridges and floors from this otherwise brittle material. Here, a dual setting cement system based on the combination of hydraulic cement powder with an aqueous silk fibroin solution that intrinsically generates a 3D prestressing during setting, dramatically toughening the cement to the point it can be cut with scissors, is reported. Changes of both ionic concentration and pH during cement setting are shown to create an interpenetrating silk fibroin inorganic composite with the combined properties of the elastic polymer and the rigid cement. These hybrid cements are self-densifying and show typical ductile fracture behavior when dry and a high elasticity under wet conditions with mechanical properties (bending and compressive strength) nearly an order of magnitude higher than the fibroin-free cement reference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Schamel
- Department of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, University Hospital of Würzburg, Pleicherwall 2, Würzburg, 97070, Germany
| | - Jake E Barralet
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, 1650 Cedar Ave., Montréal, Québec, H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Michael Gelinsky
- Centre for Translational Bone, Joint and Soft Tissue Research, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, Dresden, 01307, Germany
| | - Jürgen Groll
- Department of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, University Hospital of Würzburg, Pleicherwall 2, Würzburg, 97070, Germany
| | - Uwe Gbureck
- Department of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, University Hospital of Würzburg, Pleicherwall 2, Würzburg, 97070, Germany
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28
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Ding ZZ, Ma J, He W, Ge ZL, Lu Q, Kaplan DL. Simulation of ECM with Silk and Chitosan Nanocomposite Materials. J Mater Chem B 2017; 5:4789-4796. [PMID: 29098078 PMCID: PMC5662207 DOI: 10.1039/c7tb00486a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a system used to model the design of biomaterial matrices for tissue regeneration. Various biomaterial systems have been developed to mimic the composition or microstructure of the ECM. However, emulating multiple facets of the ECM in these systems remains a challenge. Here, a new strategy is reported which addresses this need by using silk fibroin and chitosan (CS) nanocomposite materials. Silk fibroin was first assembled into ECM-mimetic nanofibers in water and then blended with CS to introduce the nanostructural cues. Then the ratios of silk fibroin and CS were optimized to imitate the protein and glycosaminoglycan compositions. These biomaterial scaffolds had suitable compositions, hierarchical nano-to-micro structures, and appropriate mechanical properties to promote cell proliferation in vitro, and vascularization and tissue regeneration in vivo. Compared to previous silk-based scaffolds, these scaffolds achieved improvements in biocompatibility, suggesting promising applications in the future in tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z. Z. Ding
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk and Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - J. Ma
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, People’s Republic of China
| | - W. He
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, The People’s Hospital, Qinghai 4000115-4, People’s Republic of China
| | - Z. L. Ge
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, People’s Republic of China
| | - Q. Lu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk and Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - D. L. Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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29
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Lin TY, Masunaga H, Sato R, Malay AD, Toyooka K, Hikima T, Numata K. Liquid Crystalline Granules Align in a Hierarchical Structure To Produce Spider Dragline Microfibrils. Biomacromolecules 2017; 18:1350-1355. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.7b00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Yu Lin
- Enzyme
Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1
Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Masunaga
- Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5198, Japan
| | - Ryota Sato
- Enzyme
Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1
Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Ali D. Malay
- Enzyme
Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1
Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Kiminori Toyooka
- Mass
Spectrometry and Microscopy Unit, Technology Platform Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045 Japan
| | - Takaaki Hikima
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1
Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
| | - Keiji Numata
- Enzyme
Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1
Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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30
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Kundu B, Eltohamy M, Yadavalli VK, Kundu SC, Kim HW. Biomimetic Designing of Functional Silk Nanotopography Using Self-assembly. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:28458-28467. [PMID: 27686123 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b07872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
In nature inorganic-organic building units create multifunctional hierarchical architectures. Organic silk protein is particularly attractive in this respect because of its micro-nanoscale structural blocks that are attributed to sophisticated hierarchical assembly imparting flexibility and compressibility to designed biohybrid materials. In the present study, aqueous silk fibroin is assembled to form nano/microtopography on inorganic silica surface via a facile diffusion-limited aggregation process. This process is driven by electrostatic interaction and only possible at a specified aminated surface chemistry. The self-assembled topography depends on the age and concentration of protein solution as well as on the surface charge distribution of the template. The self-assembled silk trails closely resemble natural cypress leaf architecture, which is considered a structural analogue of neuronal cortex. This assembled surface significantly enhances anchorage of neuronal cell and cytoskeletal extensions, providing an effective nano/microtopographical cue for cellular recognition and guidance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohamed Eltohamy
- Glass Research Department, National Research Centre , Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Vamsi K Yadavalli
- Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, Virginia 23284, United States
| | - Subhas C Kundu
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur , Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
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31
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Partlow BP, Bagheri M, Harden JL, Kaplan DL. Tyrosine Templating in the Self-Assembly and Crystallization of Silk Fibroin. Biomacromolecules 2016; 17:3570-3579. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.6b01086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin P. Partlow
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Mehran Bagheri
- Department
of Physics, University of Ottawa, 338L MacDonald Hall, 150 Louis Pasteur Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - James L. Harden
- Department
of Physics, University of Ottawa, 338L MacDonald Hall, 150 Louis Pasteur Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - David L. Kaplan
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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32
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Dong X, Zhao Q, Xiao L, Lu Q, Kaplan DL. Amorphous Silk Nanofiber Solutions for Fabricating Silk-Based Functional Materials. Biomacromolecules 2016; 17:3000-6. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.6b00863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodan Dong
- Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People’s Republic of China
- National
Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qun Zhao
- Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People’s Republic of China
- National
Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liying Xiao
- Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People’s Republic of China
- National
Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qiang Lu
- Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People’s Republic of China
- National
Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - David L. Kaplan
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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33
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Ming J, Li M, Han Y, Chen Y, Li H, Zuo B, Pan F. Novel two-step method to form silk fibroin fibrous hydrogel. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2016; 59:185-192. [DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2015.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2015] [Revised: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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34
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Zhong J, Yan J. Seeing is believing: atomic force microscopy imaging for nanomaterial research. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ra22186b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Atomic force microscopy can image nanomaterial properties such as the topography, elasticity, adhesion, friction, electrical properties, and magnetism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhong
- College of Food Science & Technology
- Shanghai Ocean University
- Shanghai 201306
- People's Republic of China
| | - Juan Yan
- College of Food Science & Technology
- Shanghai Ocean University
- Shanghai 201306
- People's Republic of China
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35
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Combination of Universal Mechanical Testing Machine with Atomic Force Microscope for Materials Research. Sci Rep 2015; 5:12998. [PMID: 26265357 PMCID: PMC4533016 DOI: 10.1038/srep12998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 05/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Surface deformation and fracture processes of materials under external force are important for understanding and developing materials. Here, a combined horizontal universal mechanical testing machine (HUMTM)-atomic force microscope (AFM) system is developed by modifying UMTM to combine with AFM and designing a height-adjustable stabilizing apparatus. Then the combined HUMTM-AFM system is evaluated. Finally, as initial demonstrations, it is applied to analyze the relationship among macroscopic mechanical properties, surface nanomorphological changes under external force, and fracture processes of two kinds of representative large scale thin film materials: polymer material with high strain rate (Parafilm) and metal material with low strain rate (aluminum foil). All the results demonstrate the combined HUMTM-AFM system overcomes several disadvantages of current AFM-combined tensile/compression devices including small load force, incapability for large scale specimens, disability for materials with high strain rate, and etc. Therefore, the combined HUMTM-AFM system is a promising tool for materials research in the future.
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36
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Effect of incubation temperature on the self-assembly of regenerated silk fibroin: A study using AFM. Int J Biol Macromol 2015; 76:195-202. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.02.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Revised: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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37
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MORISAKU T, ARAI S, KONNO K, SUZUKI Y, ASAKURA T, YUI H. Structural Transition of Bombyx mori Liquid Silk Studied with Vibrational Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy. ANAL SCI 2015; 31:763-8. [DOI: 10.2116/analsci.31.763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Toshinori MORISAKU
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science
| | - Sho ARAI
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science
| | - Kohzo KONNO
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science
| | - Yu SUZUKI
- Tenure-Track Program for Innovative Research, University of Fukui
| | - Tetsuo ASAKURA
- Department of Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
| | - Hiroharu YUI
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science
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38
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Humenik M, Scheibel T. Self-assembly of nucleic acids, silk and hybrid materials thereof. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2014; 26:503102. [PMID: 25419786 DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/26/50/503102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Top-down approaches based on etching techniques have almost reached their limits in terms of dimension. Therefore, novel assembly strategies and types of nanomaterials are required to allow technological advances. Self-assembly processes independent of external energy sources and unlimited in dimensional scaling have become a very promising approach. Here,we highlight recent developments in self-assembled DNA-polymer, silk-polymer and silk-DNA hybrids as promising materials with biotic and abiotic moieties for constructing complex hierarchical materials in ‘bottom-up’ approaches. DNA block copolymers assemble into nanostructures typically exposing a DNA corona which allows functionalization, labeling and higher levels of organization due to its specific addressable recognition properties. In contrast, self-assembly of natural silk proteins as well as their recombinant variants yields mechanically stable β-sheet rich nanostructures. The combination of silk with abiotic polymers gains hybrid materials with new functionalities. Together, the precision of DNA hybridization and robustness of silk fibrillar structures combine in novel conjugates enable processing of higher-order structures with nanoscale architecture and programmable functions.
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