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Sun Y, Ma L, Wei T, Zheng M, Mao C, Yang M, Shuai Y. Green, Low-carbon Silk-based Materials in Water Treatment: Current State and Future Trends. CHEMSUSCHEM 2024; 17:e202301549. [PMID: 38298106 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202301549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
The improper and inadequate treatment of industrial, agricultural, and household wastewater exerts substantial pressure on the existing ecosystem and poses a serious threat to the health of both humans and animals. To address these issues, different types of materials have been employed to eradicate detrimental pollutants from wastewater and facilitate the reuse of water resources. Nevertheless, owing to the challenges associated with the degradation of these traditional materials post-use and their incompatibility with the environment, natural biopolymers have garnered considerable interest. Silk protein, as a biomacromolecule, exhibits advantageous characteristics including environmental friendliness, low carbon emissions, biodegradability, sustainability, and biocompatibility. Considering recent research findings, this comprehensive review outlines the structure and properties of silk proteins and offers a detailed overview of the manufacturing techniques employed in the production of silk-based materials (SBMs) spanning different forms. Furthermore, it conducts an in-depth analysis of the state-of-the-art SBMs for water treatment purposes, encompassing adsorption, catalysis, water disinfection, desalination, and biosensing. The review highlights the potential of SBMs in addressing the challenges of wastewater treatment and provides valuable insights into prospective avenues for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Applied Bioresource Research, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lantian Ma
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Applied Bioresource Research, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tiancheng Wei
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Applied Bioresource Research, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meidan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Applied Bioresource Research, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chuanbin Mao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P. R. China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, 999077, Hong Kong SAR, P. R.China
| | - Mingying Yang
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Applied Bioresource Research, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yajun Shuai
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Applied Bioresource Research, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
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Pollini M, Paladini F. The Emerging Role of Silk Fibroin for the Development of Novel Drug Delivery Systems. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:295. [PMID: 38786505 PMCID: PMC11117513 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9050295] [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: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In order to reduce the toxicological impact on healthy cells and to improve the therapeutic response, many drug delivery systems have been fabricated and analysed, involving the use of different natural and synthetic materials at macro-, micro- and nanoscales. Among the natural materials which have demonstrated a huge potential for the development of effective drug delivery systems, silk fibroin has emerged for its excellent biological properties and for the possibility to be processed in a wide range of forms, which can be compliant with multiple active molecules and pharmaceutical ingredients for the treatment of various diseases. This review aims at presenting silk fibroin as an interesting biopolymer for applications in drug delivery systems, exploring the results obtained in recent works in terms of technological progress and effectiveness in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Pollini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Salento, Via Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy
- Caresilk S.r.l.s., Via Monteroni c/o Technological District DHITECH, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Federica Paladini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Salento, Via Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy
- Caresilk S.r.l.s., Via Monteroni c/o Technological District DHITECH, 73100 Lecce, Italy
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Dos Santos FV, Siqueira RL, de Morais Ramos L, Yoshioka SA, Branciforti MC, Correa DS. Silk fibroin-derived electrospun materials for biomedical applications: A review. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 254:127641. [PMID: 37913875 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Electrospinning is a versatile technique for fabricating polymeric fibers with diameters ranging from micro- to nanoscale, exhibiting multiple morphologies and arrangements. By combining silk fibroin (SF) with synthetic and/or natural polymers, electrospun materials with outstanding biological, chemical, electrical, physical, mechanical, and optical properties can be achieved, fulfilling the evolving biomedical demands. This review highlights the remarkable versatility of SF-derived electrospun materials, specifically focusing on their application in tissue regeneration (including cartilage, cornea, nerves, blood vessels, bones, and skin), disease treatment (such as cancer and diabetes), and the development of controlled drug delivery systems. Additionally, we explore the potential future trends in utilizing these nanofibrous materials for creating intelligent biomaterials, incorporating biosensors and wearable sensors for monitoring human health, and also discuss the bottlenecks for its widespread use. This comprehensive overview illuminates the significant impact and exciting prospects of SF-derived electrospun materials in advancing biomedical research and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Vieira Dos Santos
- Nanotechnology National Laboratory for Agriculture, Embrapa Instrumentação, 13560-970 São Carlos, SP, Brazil; Materials Engineering Department, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, 13563-120 São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Renato Luiz Siqueira
- Materials Engineering Department, Federal University of São Carlos, 13565-905 São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Lucas de Morais Ramos
- São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, 13560-970 São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Akinobu Yoshioka
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biomaterials, São Carlos Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, 13560-970 São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Márcia Cristina Branciforti
- Materials Engineering Department, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, 13563-120 São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniel Souza Correa
- Nanotechnology National Laboratory for Agriculture, Embrapa Instrumentação, 13560-970 São Carlos, SP, Brazil; Materials Engineering Department, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, 13563-120 São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
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Tracey CT, Kryuchkova AV, Bhatt TK, Krivoshapkin PV, Krivoshapkina EF. Silk for post-harvest horticultural produce safety and quality control. J FOOD ENG 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2022.111231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Photocrosslinkable Silk-Based Biomaterials for Regenerative Medicine and Healthcare Applications. REGENERATIVE ENGINEERING AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40883-022-00277-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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Li D, Xia C, Chen X, Li Q, Li J, Qian X. Fabrication of novel ruthenium loaded silk fibroin nanomaterials for fingolimod release improved antitumor efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma. JOURNAL OF BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE. POLYMER EDITION 2022; 33:1955-1972. [PMID: 35820069 DOI: 10.1080/09205063.2022.2090348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Cancer targeted nanomaterials-based drug delivery systems have been described as promising. In this work, we employed silk fibroin (SF), ruthenium nanomaterials (RuNMs), heptapeptide (T7), and fingolimod (FTY720) to construct a pH-responsive smart nanomaterials drug delivery system. They were spherical with a mean size of around 120 nm, which may have contributed to the improved penetration and retention of the NMs in tumour areas. T7-FTY720@SF-RuNMs had an encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 72.51 ± 4.02%. When the pH of an environment is acidic, the release of FTY720 from nanocarriers is enhanced. T7-FTY720@SF-RuNMs demonstrated increased cellular uptake selective and anticancer efficacy for hepatocellular cancer in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Additionally, the in vivo biodistribution investigation showed that T7-FTY720@SF-RuNMs could efficiently aggregate in the tumour location, improving their in vivo potential to kill cancer cells. T7-FTY720@SF-RuNMs demonstrated little toxicity to tumour-bearing animals in investigations of histology and immunohistochemistry, showing that the fabricated NMs are biocompatible in vivo. For the treatment of hepatocellular cancer, the T7-FTY720@SF-RuNMs delivery method offers significant promise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, the First People's Hospital of Wenling, Wenling, China
| | - Chenmei Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, the First People's Hospital of Wenling, Wenling, China
| | - Xia Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, the First People's Hospital of Wenling, Wenling, China
| | - Qianqian Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, the First People's Hospital of Wenling, Wenling, China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of General Surgery, Baoji Hospital, Baoji, China
| | - Xiaoqi Qian
- Department of Gastroenterology, the First People's Hospital of Wenling, Wenling, China
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Preparation and Characterization of Natural Silk Fibroin Hydrogel for Protein Drug Delivery. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27113418. [PMID: 35684356 PMCID: PMC9181960 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27113418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, hydrogels have been widely used as drug carriers, especially in the area of protein delivery. The natural silk fibroin produced from cocoons of the Bombyx mori silkworm possesses excellent biocompatibility, significant bioactivity, and biodegradability. Therefore, silk fibroin-based hydrogels are arousing widespread interest in biomedical research. In this study, a process for extracting natural silk fibroin from raw silk textile yarns was established, and three aqueous solutions of silk fibroin with different molecular weight distributions were successfully prepared by controlling the degumming time. Silk fibroin was dispersed in the aqueous solution as “spherical” aggregate particles, and the smaller particles continuously accumulated into large particles. Finally, a silk fibroin hydrogel network was formed. A rheological analysis showed that as the concentration of the silk fibroin hydrogel increased its storage modulus increased significantly. The degradation behavior of silk fibroin hydrogel in different media verified its excellent stability, and the prepared silk fibroin hydrogel had good biocompatibility and an excellent drug-loading capacity. After the protein model drug BSA was loaded, the cumulative drug release within 12 h reached 80%. We hope that these investigations will promote the potential utilities of silk fibroin hydrogels in clinical medicine.
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Ulloa Rojas JE, Oliveira VLD, de Araujo DR, Tofoli GR, de Oliveira MM, Carastan DJ, Palaci M, Giuntini F, Alves WA. Silk Fibroin/Poly(vinyl Alcohol) Microneedles as Carriers for the Delivery of Singlet Oxygen Photosensitizers. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2021; 8:128-139. [PMID: 34752076 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a medical treatment in which a combination of a photosensitizing drug and visible light produces highly cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) that leads to cell death. One of the main drawbacks of PDT for topical treatments is the limited skin penetration of some photosensitizers commonly used in this therapy. In this study, we propose the use of polymeric microneedles (MNs) prepared from silk fibroin and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to increase the penetration efficiency of porphyrin as possible applications in photodynamic therapy. The microneedle arrays were fabricated from mixtures in different proportions (1:0, 7:3, 1:1, 3:7, and 0:1) of silk fibroin and PVA solutions (7%); the polymer solutions were cast in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) molds and dried overnight. Patches containing grids of 10 × 10 microneedles with a square-based pyramidal shape were successfully produced through this approach. The polymer microneedle arrays showed good mechanical strength under compression force and sufficient insertion depth in both Parafilm M and excised porcine skin at different application forces (5, 20, 30, and 40 N) using a commercial applicator. We observe an increase in the cumulative permeation of 5-[4-(2-carboxyethanoyl) aminophenyl]-10,15,20-tris-(4-sulphonatophenyl) porphyrin trisodium through porcine skin treated with the polymer microneedles after 24 h. MNs may be a promising carrier for the transdermal delivery of photosensitizers for PDT, improving the permeation of photosensitizer molecules through the skin, thus improving the efficiency of this therapy for topical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Eduardo Ulloa Rojas
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo André, 09210-580 SP, Brazil
| | - Vivian Leite de Oliveira
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo André, 09210-580 SP, Brazil
| | | | - Giovana Radomille Tofoli
- São Leopoldo Mandic Faculty, São Leopoldo Mandic Research Institute, Campinas, 01332-000 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Matheus Mendes de Oliveira
- Center for Engineering Modeling and Applied Social Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo André, 09210-580 SP, Brazil
| | - Danilo Justino Carastan
- Center for Engineering Modeling and Applied Social Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo André, 09210-580 SP, Brazil
| | - Moises Palaci
- Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, 29075-910 ES, Brazil
| | - Francesca Giuntini
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Byrom Street Campus, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, U.K
| | - Wendel Andrade Alves
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo André, 09210-580 SP, Brazil
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Lee J, Jang EH, Kim JH, Park S, Kang Y, Park S, Lee K, Kim JH, Youn YN, Ryu W. Highly flexible and porous silk fibroin microneedle wraps for perivascular drug delivery. J Control Release 2021; 340:125-135. [PMID: 34688718 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2021.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Various perivascular drug delivery techniques have been demonstrated for localized post-treatment of intimal hyperplasia: a vascular inflammatory response caused by endothelial damages. Although most perivascular devices have focused on controlling the delivery duration of anti-proliferation drug, the confined and unidirectional delivery of the drug to the target tissue has become increasingly important. In addition, careful attention should also be paid to the luminal stability and the adequate exchange of vascular protein or cell between the blood vessel and extravascular tissue to avoid any side effect from the long-term application of any perivascular device. Here, a highly flexible and porous silk fibroin microneedle wrap (Silk MN wrap) is proposed to directly inject antiproliferative drug to the anastomosis sites while ensuring sufficient vascular exchanges. Drug-embedded silk MNs were transfer-molded on a highly flexible and porous silk wrap. The enhanced cell compatibility, molecular permeability, and flexibility of silk MN wrap guaranteed the structural integrity of blood vessels. Silk wrap successfully supported the silk MNs and induced multiple MN penetration to the target tissue. Over 28 days, silk MN wrap significantly inhibited intimal hyperplasia with a 62.1% reduction in neointimal formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- JiYong Lee
- School of Mechanical Engineering, YONSEI University, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Eui Hwa Jang
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, YONSEI University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Jae Ho Kim
- School of Mechanical Engineering, YONSEI University, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - SeungHyun Park
- School of Mechanical Engineering, YONSEI University, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Yosup Kang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, YONSEI University, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Sanghyun Park
- School of Mechanical Engineering, YONSEI University, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - KangJu Lee
- Department of Healthcare and Biomedical Engineering, Chonnam National University, Yeosu 59626, South Korea; Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Los Angeles, CA 90005, USA
| | - Jung-Hwan Kim
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, YONSEI University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Young-Nam Youn
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, YONSEI University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea.
| | - WonHyoung Ryu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, YONSEI University, Seoul 03722, South Korea.
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Dorishetty P, Balu R, Gelmi A, Mata JP, Dutta NK, Choudhury NR. 3D Printable Soy/Silk Hybrid Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering Applications. Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:3668-3678. [PMID: 34460237 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The development of protein-based 3D printable hydrogel systems with tunable structure and properties is a critical challenge in contemporary biomedicine. Particularly, 3D printing of modular hydrogels comprising different types of protein tertiary structure, such as globular and fibrous, has not yet been achieved. Here we report the extrusion-based 3D printing of hybrid hydrogels photochemically co-cross-linked between globular soy protein isolate (SPI) and fibrous silk fibroin (SF) for the first time. The hierarchical structure and organization of pristine SPI and SF, and 1:3 (SPI/SF) hybrid inks under various shear stress were investigated using in situ rheology combined with small-/ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (Rheo-SANS/USANS). The hybrid ink exhibited an isotropic mass fractal structure that was stable between tested shear rates of 0.1 and 100 s-1 (near printing shear). The kinetics of sol-gel transition during the photo-cross-linking reaction and the micromechanical properties of fabricated hydrogels were investigated using photorheology and atomic force microscopy, where the hybrid hydrogels exhibited tunable storage and Young's moduli in the range of 13-29 and 214-811 kPa, respectively. The cross-link density and printing accuracy of hybrid hydrogels and inks were observed to increase with the increase in SF content. The 3D printed hybrid hydrogels exhibited a micropore size larger than that of solution casted hydrogels; where the 3D printed 1:3 (SPI/SF) hybrid hydrogel showed a pore size about 7.6 times higher than that of the casted hydrogel. Moreover, the fabricated hybrid hydrogels exhibit good mouse fibroblast cell attachment, viability, and proliferation, demonstrating their potential for tissue engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pramod Dorishetty
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Rajkamal Balu
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Amy Gelmi
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Jitendra P Mata
- Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering (ACNS), Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Lucas Heights, Sydney, NSW 2232, Australia
| | - Naba K Dutta
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
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Zhao Y, Zhu ZS, Guan J, Wu SJ. Processing, mechanical properties and bio-applications of silk fibroin-based high-strength hydrogels. Acta Biomater 2021; 125:57-71. [PMID: 33601067 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Hydrogels are an attractive class of materials that possess similar structural and functional characteristics to wet biological tissues and demonstrate a diversity of applications in biomedical engineering. Silk fibroin (SF) is a unique natural polymer due to its fibrous protein nature, versatile formats, biocompatibility, tunable biodegradation and is thus a good hydrogel candidate for bio-applications. Compared to synthetic polymer hydrogels, poor mechanical performance is still a fatal drawback that hinders the application of SF hydrogels as structural materials. Researchers have attempted to develop strategies to construct silk fibroin-based high-strength hydrogels (SF-HSHs). Herein, we firstly provide an overview of the approaches of processing SF-HSHs with a focus on the physical/non-covalent crosslinking mechanisms. The examples of SF-HSHs are discussed in detail under four categories, including physical-crosslinked, dual-crosslinked, double network and composite hydrogels respectively. A brief section follows to elucidate on the gelation mechanisms of SF-HSHs before a description of the utility of SF-HSHs in biomedicine and devices is presented. Finally, the potential challenges and future development of SF-HSHs are briefly discussed. This review aims to enhance our understanding of the structure-mechanical property-function relationships of soft materials made from natural polymers and guide future research of silk fibroin-based hydrogels for biomedical applications. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Silk fibroin (SF) extracted from silk fibres is increasingly applied in the biomedical field, and SF hydrogel has been an emerging area for frontier bio-research. Since SF biopolymer has an intrinsic tendency to form regular β-sheet stacks, it can be processed into purely physically crosslinked hydrogels, thus avoiding the use of chemical crosslinkers. Nevertheless, akin to other natural polymers, lab-produced SF is variable (i.e. the molecular weight and distribution), and the gelation of SF hydrogel is challenging to control. In addition, hydrogels made from SF are usually weak and brittle, which hinders the wide use of this biofriendly and biodegradable hydrogel. Recently, there is a pressing need for high strength hydrogels from natural polymers for biomedical applications, and SF is proposed as a strong candidate. Therefore, we have studied the literature in the past 10 years and would like to focus on the gelation mechanism and mechanical strength of SF hydrogels for the review.
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Mu X, Sahoo JK, Cebe P, Kaplan DL. Photo-Crosslinked Silk Fibroin for 3D Printing. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2936. [PMID: 33316890 PMCID: PMC7763742 DOI: 10.3390/polym12122936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Silk fibroin in material formats provides robust mechanical properties, and thus is a promising protein for 3D printing inks for a range of applications, including tissue engineering, bioelectronics, and bio-optics. Among the various crosslinking mechanisms, photo-crosslinking is particularly useful for 3D printing with silk fibroin inks due to the rapid kinetics, tunable crosslinking dynamics, light-assisted shape control, and the option to use visible light as a biocompatible processing condition. Multiple photo-crosslinking approaches have been applied to native or chemically modified silk fibroin, including photo-oxidation and free radical methacrylate polymerization. The molecular characteristics of silk fibroin, i.e., conformational polymorphism, provide a unique method for crosslinking and microfabrication via light. The molecular design features of silk fibroin inks and the exploitation of photo-crosslinking mechanisms suggest the exciting potential for meeting many biomedical needs in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Mu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA; (X.M.); (J.K.S.)
| | - Jugal Kishore Sahoo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA; (X.M.); (J.K.S.)
| | - Peggy Cebe
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA;
| | - David L. Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA; (X.M.); (J.K.S.)
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