1
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Wilczek G, Surmiak-Stalmach K, Morenc M, Niemiec-Cyganek A, Rost-Roszkowska M, Karcz J, Skowronek M. The effect of ingested copper on the structural and cytotoxic properties of Steatoda grossa (Theridiidae) spider silk. ZOOLOGY 2024; 162:126143. [PMID: 38218003 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2024.126143] [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: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Spiders, assigned to macroconcentrators of heavy metals, are particularly threatened by the toxic effects of these chemicals. Until now, it has not been specified to what extent metals alter the processes proceeding in silk glands and if such changes could consequently influence the chemical and structural properties of the spun web threads. In the present study selected biological properties of Steatoda grossa (Theridiidae) silk yarn after nutritional exposure to copper at sublethal doses (0.234 mM CuSO4) were assessed. It was determined both changes in ultrastructure of ampullate glands and hunting web's architecture as well the cytotoxic effect in model cells (fibroblasts: line ATCC® CCL-1 NCTC clone 929), that were in contact with the analyzed biomaterial. The exposure of spiders to copper caused the occurrence of apoptotic cells in the ampullate glands as well as a significant reduction in the diameter of single fibers in double and multiple connection complexes as compared with control. At both 24 and 72 h of incubation, intensification of apoptotic and necrotic processes was observed in the fibroblast cultures that were remaining in indirect contact with the webs produced by copper-contaminated individuals. In the case of fibroblasts in direct contact with silk from the copper group, a clear cytotoxic effect resulting in an increased frequency of necrosis was observed after 72 h of incubation. The results indicated that copper may change the biological properties of spider silk and compromise its biomaterial properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grażyna Wilczek
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland.
| | - Kinga Surmiak-Stalmach
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Morenc
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland; Prof. Zbigniew Religa Foundation of Cardiac Surgery Development, Wolności 345a, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
| | | | - Magdalena Rost-Roszkowska
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
| | - Jagna Karcz
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
| | - Magdalena Skowronek
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
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2
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Momeni Bashusqeh S, Pugno NM. Development of mechanically-consistent coarse-grained molecular dynamics model: case study of mechanics of spider silk. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19316. [PMID: 37935753 PMCID: PMC10630411 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46376-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding mechanics of spider silk holds immense importance due to its potential to drive innovation in the development of materials with exceptional mechanical characteristics suited for a wide range of applications. Coarse-grained (CG) molecular simulations plays a particularly valuable role in this endeavor, allowing for the efficient investigation of spider silk's mechanical properties. Our research is centered on the examination of spider silk, which comprises major ampullate silk protein (MaSp1). To achieve this, we developed a CG molecular dynamics model. Our investigation began with a focus on MaSp1 chains subjected to uniaxial tensile load, with comparisons made between the CG model results and all-atom simulations. Subsequently, we extended our simulations to encompass more extensive systems, including fully-ordered MaSp1 bundles undergoing uniaxial static stretching. Through comparison with existing literature, we assess how well the CG model reproduces the mechanical properties of spider silk in highly ordered structures. Furthermore, we explored a scenario where MaSp1 bundles were randomly positioned and stretched, providing valuable insights into silk behavior when the initial structure lacks order. Another simulation involved random positioning, but with some degree of orientation in the loading direction, allowing for a closer examination of the initial structure's influence.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Momeni Bashusqeh
- Laboratory for Bioinspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta Materials and Mechanics, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123, Trento, Italy
| | - N M Pugno
- Laboratory for Bioinspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta Materials and Mechanics, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123, Trento, Italy.
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK.
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3
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Yang H, Yang J, Wang Z, Zhibin W, Tian J, Chen J, Liu S, Li J, Liang Q, Lan J. Transcriptome Changes Reveal the Toxic Mechanism of Cadmium and Lead Combined Exposure on Silk Production and Web-Weaving Behavior of Spider A. ventricosus. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:14917-14928. [PMID: 37751292 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
The combined exposure of multiple metals imposes a substantial burden on the ecophysiological functions in organisms; however, the precise mechanism(s) remains largely unknown. Here, adult female A. ventricosus were exposed to single and combined exposure to cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) through the food chain. The aim was to explore the combined toxicity of these metals on silk production and web-weaving behavior at physiological, cellular morphological, and transcriptomic levels. The Cd and Pb combined exposure significantly inhibited the ability of silk production and web-weaving, including reduced silk fiber weight and diameter of single strands, lowered weaving position, induced nocturnal weaving, and increased instances of no-web, and showed a dose-response relationship on the Cd and Pb bioaccumulation. Concurrently, severe oxidative stress and degenerative changes in cells were observed. In addition, the combined pollution of Cd and Pb demonstrated synergistic effects, influenced by variations in concentration, on the enrichment of metals, inhibition of silk weight, oxidative damage, and cellular degeneration. At the transcriptome level, the upregulated ampullate spidroin genes and downregulated amino acid anabolic genes, upregulated Far genes and downregulated cytoskeleton-related TUBA genes, and overexpressed AChE and Glu genes may tend to present promising potential as biomarkers for silk protein synthesis, cellular degeneration, and neurotransmitter induction. This study offers an enormous capability for a comprehensive understanding of the eco-toxicological effects and mechanisms of multiheavy metals pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huilin Yang
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Jing Yang
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Zhi Wang
- College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410006 Hunan, China
| | - Wu Zhibin
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Jianxiang Tian
- College of Water Resources & Civil Engineering, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Jinkun Chen
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Shize Liu
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Jiajia Li
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Qi Liang
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
| | - Jiao Lan
- College of Environment & Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan, China
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4
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Jiang P, Wu LH, Lv TY, Tang SS, Hu ML, Qiu ZM, Guo C, José PR. Memory effect of spider major ampullate silk in loading-unloading cycles and the structural connotations. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2023; 146:106031. [PMID: 37639933 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2023.106031] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Spider silk is repeatedly stretched while performing biological functions. There is a close relationship between the shape change of the fibre materials and their mechanical properties. However, the effect of the deformation and interval time on the structure and tensile behaviour properties of spider silk after repeatedly stretching by given strain value has been rarely reported. Here we found that major ampullate silk (MAS) can revert its tensile behaviour independent of its previous loading history via intervals of approximately 8 s to 5 min with constant and increased elongation, respectively, after being subjected to yield and hardening regions. The true stress-true strain curve beyond a given value of true strain is independent from the previous loading history of the sample. Even after longer intervals (≥1 h), MAS can reproduce the last tensile behaviour via one stretched. Despite recognizing the development of irreversible deformations in the material when tested in air, the reversible change in tensile behaviour outside the spider silk's elastic region has rarely been observed before. MAS has at least one proper ground state that allows it to present good shape and mechanical behaviour memory in terms of longitudinal stretching, functioning as a new strategy to achieve certain tensile properties. The analysis of the true stress-true strain curves was performed from a series of loading‒unloading tests to evaluate the evolution of those mechanical parameters with the cycle number. The elastic modulus measured in the loading steps increases monotonously with increasing values of true strain reached in the cycles. In contrast, a marginal variation is found in the values of the yield stress measured in the different cycles. The memory and variation in the mechanical behaviour and performance of MAS can be accounted for through the irreversible and reversible deformation micromechanisms and its combination in which the viscoelasticity of the material plays a leading role. These findings may be helpful to guide the biomimetic design of novel fibre materials such as spider silk gut via artificially stretching spider silk glands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Jiang
- Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi Province, 343009, China.
| | - Li-Hua Wu
- Business College, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi Province, 343009, China
| | - Tai-Yong Lv
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Si-Si Tang
- Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan province, 610041, China
| | - Meng-Lei Hu
- Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi Province, 343009, China
| | - Zhi-Min Qiu
- Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi Province, 343009, China
| | - Cong Guo
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China
| | - Pérez-Rigueiro José
- Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28223, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
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5
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Hahn J, Gögele C, Schulze-Tanzil G. Could an Anterior Cruciate Ligament Be Tissue-Engineered from Silk? Cells 2023; 12:2350. [PMID: 37830564 PMCID: PMC10571837 DOI: 10.3390/cells12192350] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Silk has a long history as an exclusive textile, but also as a suture thread in medicine; nowadays, diverse cell carriers are manufactured from silk. Its advantages are manifold, including high biocompatibility, biomechanical strength and processability (approved for nearly all manufacturing techniques). Silk's limitations, such as scarcity and batch to batch variations, are overcome by gene technology, which allows for the upscaled production of recombinant "designed" silk proteins. For processing thin fibroin filaments, the sericin component is generally removed (degumming). In contrast to many synthetic biomaterials, fibroin allows for superior cell adherence and growth. In addition, silk grafts demonstrate superior mechanical performance and long-term stability, making them attractive for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tissue engineering. Looking at these promising properties, this review focusses on the responses of cell types to silk variants, as well as their biomechanical properties, which are relevant for ACL tissue engineering. Meanwhile, sericin has also attracted increasing interest and has been proposed as a bioactive biomaterial with antimicrobial properties. But so far, fibroin was exclusively used for experimental ACL tissue engineering approaches, and fibroin from spider silk also seems not to have been applied. To improve the bone integration of ACL grafts, silk scaffolds with osteogenic functionalization, silk-based tunnel fillers and interference screws have been developed. Nevertheless, signaling pathways stimulated by silk components remain barely elucidated, but need to be considered during the development of optimized silk cell carriers for ACL tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Hahn
- Workgroup BioEngineering, Institute of Polymer Materials, Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V. (IPF), Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany;
| | - Clemens Gögele
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg and Salzburg, Prof. Ernst Nathan Str. 1, 90419 Nuremberg, Germany;
| | - Gundula Schulze-Tanzil
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg and Salzburg, Prof. Ernst Nathan Str. 1, 90419 Nuremberg, Germany;
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6
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Ornithopoulou E, Åstrand C, Gustafsson L, Crouzier T, Hedhammar M. Self-Assembly of RGD-Functionalized Recombinant Spider Silk Protein into Microspheres in Physiological Buffer and in the Presence of Hyaluronic Acid. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2023; 6:3696-3705. [PMID: 37579070 PMCID: PMC10521021 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Biomaterials made of self-assembling protein building blocks are widely explored for biomedical applications, for example, as drug carriers, tissue engineering scaffolds, and functionalized coatings. It has previously been shown that a recombinant spider silk protein functionalized with a cell binding motif from fibronectin, FN-4RepCT (FN-silk), self-assembles into fibrillar structures at interfaces, i.e., membranes, fibers, or foams at liquid/air interfaces, and fibrillar coatings at liquid/solid interfaces. Recently, we observed that FN-silk also assembles into microspheres in the bulk of a physiological buffer (PBS) solution. Herein, we investigate the self-assembly process of FN-silk into microspheres in the bulk and how its progression is affected by the presence of hyaluronic acid (HA), both in solution and in a cross-linked HA hydrogel. Moreover, we characterize the size, morphology, mesostructure, and protein secondary structure of the FN-silk microspheres prepared in PBS and HA. Finally, we examine how the FN-silk microspheres can be used to mediate cell adhesion and spreading of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) during cell culture. These investigations contribute to our fundamental understanding of the self-assembly of silk protein into materials and demonstrate the use of silk microspheres as additives for cell culture applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirini Ornithopoulou
- Department
of Protein Science, School of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health
(CBH), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carolina Åstrand
- Department
of Protein Science, School of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health
(CBH), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- Spiber
Technologies AB, Roslagstullsbacken
15, 114 21 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Linnea Gustafsson
- Spiber
Technologies AB, Roslagstullsbacken
15, 114 21 Stockholm, Sweden
- Division
of Micro and Nanosystems, School
of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas Crouzier
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - My Hedhammar
- Department
of Protein Science, School of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health
(CBH), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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7
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Zhang Z, Mu Z, Wang Y, Song W, Yu H, Zhang S, Li Y, Niu S, Han Z, Ren L. Lightweight Structural Biomaterials with Excellent Mechanical Performance: A Review. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:biomimetics8020153. [PMID: 37092405 PMCID: PMC10123704 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8020153] [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: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The rational design of desirable lightweight structural materials usually needs to meet the strict requirements of mechanical properties. Seeking optimal integration strategies for lightweight structures and high mechanical performance is always of great research significance in the rapidly developing composites field, which also draws significant attention from materials scientists and engineers. However, the intrinsic incompatibility of low mass and high strength is still an open challenge for achieving satisfied engineering composites. Fortunately, creatures in nature tend to possess excellent lightweight properties and mechanical performance to improve their survival ability. Thus, by ingenious structure configuration, lightweight structural biomaterials with simple components can achieve high mechanical performance. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in three typical structures in natural biomaterials: cellular structures, fibrous structures, and sandwich structures. For each structure, typical organisms are selected for comparison, and their compositions, structures, and properties are discussed in detail, respectively. In addition, bioinspired design approaches of each structure are briefly introduced. At last, the outlook on the design and fabrication of bioinspired composites is also presented to guide the development of advanced composites in future practical engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Zhengzhi Mu
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Yufei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Wenda Song
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Hexuan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Shuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Yujiao Li
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Shichao Niu
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Zhiwu Han
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
| | - Luquan Ren
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
- Weihai Institute for Bionics, Jilin University, Weihai 264207, China
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8
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Green Composites Based on Animal Fiber and Their Applications for a Sustainable Future. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15030601. [PMID: 36771900 PMCID: PMC9919996 DOI: 10.3390/polym15030601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Global climate change is already affecting the environment, as glaciers are receding, ice on rivers and lakes is melting, plant and animal range`s have altering, and trees are blooming early. Therefore, focus has shifted towards sustainable materials. There is a growing desire for materials that have a unique combination of qualities that metals, polymers, and other materials cannot provide, therefore scientists are turning their focus to green composites. Green composites offer a wide range of uses in automotive, aerospace, and marine applications. Composites are multiphase resources with separate interfaces that contain chemically different materials. Composites are made up of a variety of materials that are distinct in nature, and they give a set of desirable features that are superior to those of their predecessors or parents. Natural fibers are less expensive, more readily available, rust-resistant, plentiful, nontoxic, and safe for human skin, eyes, and respiratory systems. Green composites are created by combining renewable fibers with polymers (matrix) to create a new class of composites known as "green composites." This review includes studies on various animal-based fibers and their applications. In this article, recent advancements in the field of these fibers and their composites of fibers are also discussed. The physical, chemical, and mechanical properties are also discussed in this paper. Moreover, the benefits and drawbacks of using these fibers are also discussed in detail. Finally, the paper gives an outline of the topic. The results from composites constructed from each fiber are provided, along with appropriate references for more in-depth analysis studies. This review is specially performed to strengthen the knowledge bank of the young researchers working in the field of natural composites.
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Gustafsson L, Kvick M, Åstrand C, Ponsteen N, Dorka N, Hegrová V, Svanberg S, Horák J, Jansson R, Hedhammar M, van der Wijngaart W. Scalable Production of Monodisperse Bioactive Spider Silk Nanowires. Macromol Biosci 2023; 23:e2200450. [PMID: 36662774 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202200450] [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: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Elongated protein-based micro- and nanostructures are of great interest for a wide range of biomedical applications, where they can serve as a backbone for surface functionalization and as vehicles for drug delivery. Current production methods for protein constructs lack precise control of either shape and dimensions or render structures fixed to substrates. This work demonstrates production of recombinant spider silk nanowires suspended in solution, starting with liquid bridge induced assembly (LBIA) on a substrate, followed by release using ultrasonication, and concentration by centrifugation. The significance of this method lies in that it provides i) reproducability (standard deviation of length <13% and of diameter <38%), ii) scalability of fabrication, iii) compatibility with autoclavation with retained shape and function, iv) retention of bioactivity, and v) easy functionalization both pre- and post-formation. This work demonstrates how altering the function and nanotopography of a surface by nanowire coating supports the attachment and growth of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Cell compatibility is further studied through integration of nanowires during aggregate formation of hMSCs and the breast cancer cell line MCF7. The herein-presented industrial-compatible process enables silk nanowires for use as functionalizing agents in a variety of cell culture applications and medical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linnea Gustafsson
- Spiber Technologies AB, Roslagstullsbacken 15, Stockholm, 114 21, Sweden.,Division of Micro and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Malvinas väg 10, Stockholm, 114 28, Sweden
| | - Mathias Kvick
- Spiber Technologies AB, Roslagstullsbacken 15, Stockholm, 114 21, Sweden
| | - Carolina Åstrand
- Spiber Technologies AB, Roslagstullsbacken 15, Stockholm, 114 21, Sweden
| | - Nienke Ponsteen
- Division of Micro and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Malvinas väg 10, Stockholm, 114 28, Sweden
| | - Nicolai Dorka
- Division of Protein Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Roslagstullsbacken 21, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Veronika Hegrová
- NenoVision s.r.o, Purkyňova 127, Brno-Medlánky, 612 00, The Czech Republic
| | - Sara Svanberg
- Division of Micro and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Malvinas väg 10, Stockholm, 114 28, Sweden
| | - Josef Horák
- NenoVision s.r.o, Purkyňova 127, Brno-Medlánky, 612 00, The Czech Republic
| | - Ronnie Jansson
- Division of Protein Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Roslagstullsbacken 21, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - My Hedhammar
- Division of Protein Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Roslagstullsbacken 21, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Wouter van der Wijngaart
- Division of Micro and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Malvinas väg 10, Stockholm, 114 28, Sweden
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10
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Johari N, Khodaei A, Samadikuchaksaraei A, Reis RL, Kundu SC, Moroni L. Ancient fibrous biomaterials from silkworm protein fibroin and spider silk blends: Biomechanical patterns. Acta Biomater 2022; 153:38-67. [PMID: 36126911 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.09.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Silkworm silk protein fibroin and spider silk spidroin are known biocompatible and natural biodegradable polymers in biomedical applications. The presence of β-sheets in silk fibroin and spider spidroin conformation improves their mechanical properties. The strength and toughness of pure recombinant silkworm fibroin and spidroin are relatively low due to reduced molecular weight. Hence, blending is the foremost approach of recent studies to optimize silk fibroin and spidroin's mechanical properties. As summarised in the present review, numerous research investigations evaluate the blending of natural and synthetic polymers. The effects of blending silk fibroin and spidroin with natural and synthetic polymers on the mechanical properties are discussed in this review article. Indeed, combining natural and synthetic polymers with silk fibroin and spidroin changes their conformation and structure, fine-tuning the blends' mechanical properties. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Silkworm and spider silk proteins (silk fibroin and spidroin) are biocompatible and biodegradable natural polymers having different types of biomedical applications. Their mechanical and biological properties may be tuned through various strategies such as blending, conjugating and cross-linking. Blending is the most common method to modify fibroin and spidroin properties on demand, this review article aims to categorize and evaluate the effects of blending fibroin and spidroin with different natural and synthetic polymers. Increased polarity and hydrophilicity end to hydrogen bonding triggered conformational change in fibroin and spidroin blends. The effect of polarity and hydrophilicity of the blending compound is discussed and categorized to a combinatorial, synergistic and indirect impacts. This outlook guides us to choose the blending compounds mindfully as this mixing affects the biochemical and biophysical characteristics of the biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narges Johari
- Materials Engineering group, Golpayegan College of Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Golpayegan, Iran.
| | - Azin Khodaei
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Ali Samadikuchaksaraei
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Rui L Reis
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - Subhas C Kundu
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - Lorenzo Moroni
- Maastricht University, MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Complex Tissue Regeneration Department, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
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11
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Lin L, Zhong Y, Lin H, Wang C, Yang Z, Wu Q, Zhang D, Zhu W, Zhong Y, Pan Y, Yu J, Zheng H. Spider Silk-Improved Quartz-Enhanced Conductance Spectroscopy for Medical Mask Humidity Sensing. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27134320. [PMID: 35807564 PMCID: PMC9268163 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27134320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Spider silk is one of the hottest biomaterials researched currently, due to its excellent mechanical properties. This work reports a novel humidity sensing platform based on a spider silk-modified quartz tuning fork (SSM-QTF). Since spider silk is a kind of natural moisture-sensitive material, it does not demand additional sensitization. Quartz-enhanced conductance spectroscopy (QECS) was combined with the SSM-QTF to access humidity sensing sensitively. The results indicate that the resonance frequency of the SSM-QTF decreased monotonously with the ambient humidity. The detection sensitivity of the proposed SSM-QTF sensor was 12.7 ppm at 1 min. The SSM-QTF sensor showed good linearity of ~0.99. Using this sensor, we successfully measured the humidity of disposable medical masks for different periods of wearing time. The results showed that even a 20 min wearing time can lead to a >70% humidity in the mask enclosed space. It is suggested that a disposable medical mask should be changed <2 h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leqing Lin
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information and Sensing Technologies of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (L.L.); (Y.Z.); (H.L.); (C.W.); (Z.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yu Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information and Sensing Technologies of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (L.L.); (Y.Z.); (H.L.); (C.W.); (Z.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Haoyang Lin
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information and Sensing Technologies of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (L.L.); (Y.Z.); (H.L.); (C.W.); (Z.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Chenglong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information and Sensing Technologies of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (L.L.); (Y.Z.); (H.L.); (C.W.); (Z.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Zhifei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information and Sensing Technologies of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (L.L.); (Y.Z.); (H.L.); (C.W.); (Z.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Qian Wu
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information and Sensing Technologies of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (L.L.); (Y.Z.); (H.L.); (C.W.); (Z.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Di Zhang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China;
| | - Wenguo Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information and Sensing Technologies of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (L.L.); (Y.Z.); (H.L.); (C.W.); (Z.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yongchun Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information and Sensing Technologies of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (L.L.); (Y.Z.); (H.L.); (C.W.); (Z.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yuwei Pan
- Department of Preventive Treatment of Disease, The Affiliated TCM Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510405, China;
| | - Jianhui Yu
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information and Sensing Technologies of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (L.L.); (Y.Z.); (H.L.); (C.W.); (Z.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.Z.)
- Correspondence: (J.Y.); (H.Z.)
| | - Huadan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information and Sensing Technologies of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (L.L.); (Y.Z.); (H.L.); (C.W.); (Z.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.Z.); (Y.Z.)
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China;
- Correspondence: (J.Y.); (H.Z.)
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12
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Chan NJ, Lentz S, Gurr PA, Scheibel T, Qiao GG. Mimicry of silk utilizing synthetic polypeptides. Prog Polym Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2022.101557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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13
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Mechanical Properties of Dragline Silk Fiber Using a Bottom-Up Approach. JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jcs6030095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
We propose a molecular-based three-dimensional (3D) continuum model of dragline silk of Araneus diadematus, which takes into account the plasticity of the β-sheet crystals, the rate-dependent behavior of the amorphous matrix, and the viscous interface friction between them. For the proposed model, we computed the tensile properties, the effects of velocity on the mechanical properties, and hysteresis values, which are in good agreement with available experimental data. The silk fiber model’s yield point, breaking strength, post-yield stiffness, and toughness increased with increasing pulling velocity, while extensibility and the diameter of the silk fiber decreased. Our bottom-up approach has shed light on silk fiber mechanics, which can be used as an essential tool to design artificial composite materials.
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14
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Cohen N, Eisenbach CD. Humidity-Driven Supercontraction and Twist in Spider Silk. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022; 128:098101. [PMID: 35302814 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.128.098101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Spider silk is a protein material that exhibits extraordinary and nontrivial properties such as the ability to soften, decrease in length (i.e., supercontract), and twist upon exposure to high humidity. These behaviors stem from a unique microstructure in combination with a transition from glassy to rubbery as a result of humidity-driven diffusion of water. In this Letter we propose four length scales that govern the mechanical response of the silk during this transition. In addition, we develop a model that describes the microstructural evolution of the spider silk thread and explains the response due to the diffusion of water molecules. The merit of the model is demonstrated through an excellent agreement to experimental findings. The insights from this Letter can be used as a microstructural design guide to enable the development of new materials with unique spiderlike properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noy Cohen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Claus D Eisenbach
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA and Institute for Polymer Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
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15
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Artificial and natural silk materials have high mechanical property variability regardless of sample size. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3507. [PMID: 35241705 PMCID: PMC8894418 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07212-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Silk fibres attract great interest in materials science for their biological and mechanical properties. Hitherto, the mechanical properties of the silk fibres have been explored mainly by tensile tests, which provide information on their strength, Young’s modulus, strain at break and toughness modulus. Several hypotheses have been based on these data, but the intrinsic and often overlooked variability of natural and artificial silk fibres makes it challenging to identify trends and correlations. In this work, we determined the mechanical properties of Bombyx mori cocoon and degummed silk, native spider silk, and artificial spider silk, and compared them with classical commercial carbon fibres using large sample sizes (from 10 to 100 fibres, in total 200 specimens per fibre type). The results confirm a substantial variability of the mechanical properties of silk fibres compared to commercial carbon fibres, as the relative standard deviation for strength and strain at break is 10–50%. Moreover, the variability does not decrease significantly when the number of tested fibres is increased, which was surprising considering the low variability frequently reported for silk fibres in the literature. Based on this, we prove that tensile testing of 10 fibres per type is representative of a silk fibre population. Finally, we show that the ideal shape of the stress–strain curve for spider silk, characterized by a pronounced exponential stiffening regime, occurs in only 25% of all tested spider silk fibres.
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16
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Gould J, García LF, Valdez JW. Dunking for droplets: Long‐jawed spider (Araneae,
Tetragnathidae
) bungees on silk line to collect water droplet from pond using its mouthparts. Ethology 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John Gould
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences University of Newcastle Callaghan New South Wales Australia
| | - Luis Fernando García
- Centro Universitario Regional del Este Universidad de la República. Treinta y Tres Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Jose. W. Valdez
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
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17
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Kim Y, Chang H, Yoon T, Park W, Choi H, Na S. Nano-fishnet formation of silk controlled by Arginine density. Acta Biomater 2021; 128:201-208. [PMID: 33862282 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Silk fiber is renowned for its superb mechanical properties, such as over 7 times the toughness of Kevlar 49 Fibre. As the spider silk is tougher than any man-made fiber, there is a lot to be learned from spider silk. Recently, it has been reported that a large portion of the properties of silk is from naturally formed nano-fishnet structures of silk, but neither its formation mechanism nor its formation condition has been explained. Here, we show how the formation and disappearance of nano-fishnet of silk is determined by humidity, and how the humidity-dependency of nano-fishnet formation can be overcome by changing density of Arginine through sequence mutation. We demonstrate that the nano-fishnet-structured silk exhibits higher strength and toughness than its counterparts. This information on controllable nano-fishnet formation of silk is expected to pave the way for development of protein and synthetic fiber design. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Silk fibers are a very interesting material in that it exhibits superb mechanical properties such as 7 times the toughness of Kevlar 49 Fibre, despite being only composed of proteins. Therefore, it is important that we understand the principle of its high mechanical properties so that it may be applied in designing synthetic fibers. Recently, it has been reported that a large portion of its mechanical property comes from its nano-fishnet structures, but no detailed explanation on the condition or mechanism of formation. Through molecular dynamic simulations, we simulated the nano-fishnet formation of silk and analyzed the condition and mechanism behind it, and showed how the formation of nano-fishnet structures could be controlled by changing the density of Arginine residues. Our study provides information on fiber enhancement mechanism that could be applied to synthetic and protein fiber design.
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18
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Lv Z, Shu T, Ren J, Cao L, Pei Y, Shao Z, Ling S. Mechanism of Mechanical Training-Induced Self-Reinforced Viscoelastic Behavior of Highly Hydrated Silk Materials. Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:2189-2196. [PMID: 33852291 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical training is an operation where a sample is cyclically stretched in a solvent. It is accepted as an effective strategy to strengthen and stiffen the highly hydrated silk materials (HHSMs). However, the detailed reinforcement mechanism of the process still remains to be understood. Herein, this process is studied by the integration of experimental characterization and theoretical analysis. The results from time-resolved Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and real-time birefringent characterization reveal that the silk proteins rapidly formed a molecular cross-linking network (MCN) during the mechanical training. The cross-links were the β-sheet nanocrystals generated from the conformation transition of silk proteins. With the progress in mechanical training, these MCNs gradually remodeled to a highly oriented molecular network structure. The final structure of the silk proteins in HHSMs is highly similar to the structural organization of silk proteins in the natural animal silk. The training process significantly improved the mechanical strength and modulus of the material. With regards to the dynamic behavior of conformation transition and MCN orientation, the structural evaluation of silk proteins during mechanical training was divided into three distinct stages, namely, the MCN-forming stage, MCN-orienting stage, and oriented-MCN stage. Such division is in complete agreement with the three-stage viscoelastic behavior observed in the cyclic loading and unloading tests. Hence, a five-parameter viscoelastic model has been established to elucidate the structure-property relationship of these three stages. This work improves in-depth understanding of the fundamental issues related to structure-property relationships of HHSMs and thus provides inspiration and guidance in the design of soft silk functional materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuochen Lv
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Ting Shu
- 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
| | - Leitao Cao
- 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
| | - Zhengzhong Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Shengjie Ling
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
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19
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Liquid Crystal Elastomers for Biological Applications. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11030813. [PMID: 33810173 PMCID: PMC8005174 DOI: 10.3390/nano11030813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The term liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) describes a class of materials that combine the elastic entropy behaviour associated with conventional elastomers with the stimuli responsive properties of anisotropic liquid crystals. LCEs consequently exhibit attributes of both elastomers and liquid crystals, but additionally have unique properties not found in either. Recent developments in LCE synthesis, as well as the understanding of the behaviour of liquid crystal elastomers—namely their mechanical, optical and responsive properties—is of significant relevance to biology and biomedicine. LCEs are abundant in nature, highlighting the potential use of LCEs in biomimetics. Their exceptional tensile properties and biocompatibility have led to research exploring their applications in artificial tissue, biological sensors and cell scaffolds by exploiting their actuation and shock absorption properties. There has also been significant recent interest in using LCEs as a model for morphogenesis. This review provides an overview of some aspects of LCEs which are of relevance in different branches of biology and biomedicine, as well as discussing how recent LCE advances could impact future applications.
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20
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Greco G, Pugno NM. How spiders hunt heavy prey: the tangle web as a pulley and spider's lifting mechanics observed and quantified in the laboratory. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20200907. [PMID: 33530858 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The spiders of Theridiidae's family display a peculiar behaviour when they hunt extremely large prey. They lift the quarry, making it unable to escape, by attaching pre-tensioned silk threads to it. In this work, we analysed for the first time in the laboratory the lifting hunting mechanism and, in order to quantify the phenomenon, we applied the lifting mechanics theory. The comparison between the experiments and the theory suggests that, during the process, spiders do not stretch the silk too much by keeping it in the linear elastic regime. We thus report here further evidence for the strong role of silk in spiders' evolution, especially how spiders can stretch and use it as an external tool to overcome their muscles' limits and capture prey with large mass, e.g. 50 times the spider's mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Greco
- Laboratory of Bio-inspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta Materials and Mechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano, 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Nicola M Pugno
- Laboratory of Bio-inspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta Materials and Mechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano, 77, 38123 Trento, Italy.,School of Engineering and Material Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
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21
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22
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Zhou SY, Dong QL, Zhu KS, Gao L, Chen X, Xiang H. Long-read transcriptomic analysis of orb-weaving spider Araneus ventricosus indicates transcriptional diversity of spidroins. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 168:395-402. [PMID: 33275979 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.11.182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Spider silk, which is composed of diverse silk proteins (spidroin), is a kind of natural high-mass biomaterial with great potential. However, due to the complexity of both the structure and the composition of the spidroins in natural spider silk, application of this valuable biomass is still limited to date. There are diverse kinds of spider silk in the orb-weaving spider with different mechanical and structural characteristics. In order to systematically illustrate the landscape of all the different spidrons, here we chose Araneus ventricosus, an orb-weaving spider with superior silk mechanical features and genome information, to generate a long-read whole body transcriptome. We deciphered the repeat arrangements of each kind of spidroin, based on which we found that there are substantially transcriptional diversity of each spidroin gene. Some repeat motifs are not documented before. Specifically, we discovered novel full-lengh MaSp transcript as well as a relatively small full-length AcSp isoforms, which are potential promising materials for bioengineering of recombinant spidroin. Our study provided a batch of new spidron resources with detail sequential information. The finding of transcriptional diversity may provide cues in understanding of within-species variation of the mechanical properties of the natural spider silk and further molecular designing of recombinant spidroin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Yi Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Qing-Lin Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Ke-Sen Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Lei Gao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
| | - Xin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Hui Xiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
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23
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Hybrid Spider Silk with Inorganic Nanomaterials. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10091853. [PMID: 32947954 PMCID: PMC7559941 DOI: 10.3390/nano10091853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
High-performance functional biomaterials are becoming increasingly requested. Numerous natural and artificial polymers have already demonstrated their ability to serve as a basis for bio-composites. Spider silk offers a unique combination of desirable aspects such as biocompatibility, extraordinary mechanical properties, and tunable biodegradability, which are superior to those of most natural and engineered materials. Modifying spider silk with various inorganic nanomaterials with specific properties has led to the development of the hybrid materials with improved functionality. The purpose of using these inorganic nanomaterials is primarily due to their chemical nature, enhanced by large surface areas and quantum size phenomena. Functional properties of nanoparticles can be implemented to macro-scale components to produce silk-based hybrid materials, while spider silk fibers can serve as a matrix to combine the benefits of the functional components. Therefore, it is not surprising that hybrid materials based on spider silk and inorganic nanomaterials are considered extremely promising for potentially attractive applications in various fields, from optics and photonics to tissue regeneration. This review summarizes and discusses evidence of the use of various kinds of inorganic compounds in spider silk modification intended for a multitude of applications. It also provides an insight into approaches for obtaining hybrid silk-based materials via 3D printing.
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24
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Spider silk with weaker bonding resulting in higher strength and toughness through progressive unfolding and load transfer. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2020; 108:103773. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2020.103773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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25
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Fraternali F, Stehling N, Amendola A, Tiban Anrango BA, Holland C, Rodenburg C. Tensegrity Modelling and the High Toughness of Spider Dragline Silk. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 10:E1510. [PMID: 32752054 PMCID: PMC7466511 DOI: 10.3390/nano10081510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
This work establishes a tensegrity model of spider dragline silk. Tensegrity systems are ubiquitous in nature, being able to capture the mechanics of biological shapes through simple and effective modes of deformation via extension and contraction. Guided by quantitative microstructural characterization via air plasma etching and low voltage scanning electron microscopy, we report that this model is able to capture experimentally observed phenomena such as the Poisson effect, tensile stress-strain response, and fibre toughness. This is achieved by accounting for spider silks' hierarchical organization into microfibrils with radially variable properties. Each fibril is described as a chain of polypeptide tensegrity units formed by crystalline granules operating under compression, which are connected to each other by amorphous links acting under tension. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, that a radial variability in the ductility of tensegrity chains is responsible for high fibre toughness, a defining and desirable feature of spider silk. Based on this model, a discussion about the use of graded tensegrity structures for the optimal design of next-generation biomimetic fibres is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Fraternali
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
| | - Nicola Stehling
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
| | - Ada Amendola
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
| | - Bryan Andres Tiban Anrango
- Centre for Biomedical and Chemical Science School of Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Chris Holland
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
| | - Cornelia Rodenburg
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
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26
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Leem JW, Fraser MJ, Kim YL. Transgenic and Diet-Enhanced Silk Production for Reinforced Biomaterials: A Metamaterial Perspective. Annu Rev Biomed Eng 2020; 22:79-102. [PMID: 32160010 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-082719-032747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Silk fibers, which are protein-based biopolymers produced by spiders and silkworms, are fascinating biomaterials that have been extensively studied for numerous biomedical applications. Silk fibers often have remarkable physical and biological properties that typical synthetic materials do not exhibit. These attributes have prompted a wide variety of silk research, including genetic engineering, biotechnological synthesis, and bioinspired fiber spinning, to produce silk proteins on a large scale and to further enhance their properties. In this review, we describe the basic properties of spider silk and silkworm silk and the important production methods for silk proteins. We discuss recent advances in reinforced silk using silkworm transgenesis and functional additive diets with a focus on biomedical applications. We also explain that reinforced silk has an analogy with metamaterials such that user-designed atypical responses can be engineered beyond what naturally occurring materials offer. These insights into reinforced silk can guide better engineering of superior synthetic biomaterials and lead to discoveries of unexplored biological and medical applications of silk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Woo Leem
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
| | - Malcolm J Fraser
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.,Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Young L Kim
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA.,Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering, and Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA;
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27
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Abstract
β-Sheet protein structures and domains are widely found in biological materials such as silk. These assemblies play a major role in the extraordinary strength and unique properties of biomaterials. At the molecular level, the single β-sheet structure comprises polypeptide chains in zig-zag conformations that are held together by hydrogen bonds. β-sheet domains comprise multiple β-sheets that originate from hydrophobic interactions between sheets and are held together by van der Waals interactions. In this work, we introduce molecular models that capture the response of such domains upon mechanical loading and illustrate the mechanisms behind their collapse. We begin by modeling the force that is required to pull a chain out of a β-sheet. Next, we employ these models to study the behavior of β-sheets that are embedded into and connected to an amorphous protein matrix. We show that the collapse of a β-sheet occurs upon the application of a sufficiently high force that is transferred from the chains in the matrix to individual chains of the β-sheet structure and causes shear. With the aim of understanding the response of β-sheet domains, we derive models for the interactions between β-sheets. These enable the study of critical forces required to break such domains. As opposed to molecular dynamics simulations, the analysis in this work yields simple expressions that shed light on the relations between the nanostructure of β-sheet domains and their mechanical response. In addition, the findings of this work suggest how β-sheet domains can be strengthened.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noy Cohen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Claus D Eisenbach
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States.,Institute for Polymer Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart D-70569, Germany
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Dong Q, Fang G, Huang Y, Hu L, Yao J, Shao Z, Ling S, Chen X. Effect of stress on the molecular structure and mechanical properties of supercontracted spider dragline silks. J Mater Chem B 2020; 8:168-176. [PMID: 31789330 DOI: 10.1039/c9tb02032b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Supercontraction is one of the most interesting properties of spider dragline silks. In this study, changes in the secondary structures of the Nephila edulis spider dragline silk after it was subjected to different supercontraction processes were investigated by integrating synchrotron Fourier transform infrared (S-FTIR) microspectroscopy and mechanical characterization. The results showed that after free supercontraction, the β-sheet lost most of its orientation, while the helix and random coils were almost totally disordered. Interestingly, by conducting different types of supercontractions (i.e., stretching of the free supercontracted spider dragline silk to its original length or performing constrained supercontraction), it was found that although the molecular structures all changed after supercontraction, the mechanical properties almost remained unchanged when the length of the spider dragline silk did not change significantly. The other interesting conclusion obtained is that the manual stretching of a poorly oriented spider dragline silk cannot selectively improve the orientation degree of the β-sheet in the spider silk, but increase the orientation degree of all conformations (β-sheet, helix, and random). These experimental findings not only help to unveil the structure-property-function relationship of natural spider silks, but also provide a useful guideline for the design of biomimetic spider fiber materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinglin Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China.
| | - Guangqiang Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yufang Huang
- Department of Materials Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Linli Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jinrong Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhengzhong Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shengjie Ling
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China.
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29
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Dubey S, Joshi CH, Veer S, Uma D, Somanathan H, Majumdar S, Pullarkat PA. Strain softening and stiffening responses of spider silk fibers probed using a Micro-Extension Rheometer. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:487-493. [PMID: 31803881 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm01572h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Spider silk possesses unique mechanical properties like large extensibility, high tensile strength, super-contractility, etc. Understanding these mechanical responses requires characterization of the rheological properties of silk beyond the simple force-extension relations which are widely reported. Here we study the linear and non-linear viscoelastic properties of dragline silk obtained from social spider Stegodyphus sarasinorum using a Micro-Extension Rheometer that we have developed. Unlike continuous extension data, our technique allows for the probing of the viscoelastic response by applying small perturbations about sequentially increasing steady-state strain values. In addition, we extend our analysis to obtain the characteristic stress relaxation times and the frequency responses of the viscous and elastic moduli. Using these methods, we show that in a small strain regime (0-4%) dragline silk of social spiders shows a strain softening response followed by a strain stiffening response at higher strains (>4%). The stress relaxation time, on the other hand, increases monotonically with increasing strain for the entire range. We also show that the silk stiffens while ageing within the typical lifetime of a web. Our results demand the inclusion of the kinetics of domain unfolding and refolding in the existing models to account for the relaxation time behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushil Dubey
- Soft Condensed Matter Group, Raman Research Institute, C. V. Raman Avenue, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560 080, India.
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30
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Mittal N, Benselfelt T, Ansari F, Gordeyeva K, Roth SV, Wågberg L, Söderberg LD. Ion-Specific Assembly of Strong, Tough, and Stiff Biofibers. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019; 58:18562-18569. [PMID: 31600016 PMCID: PMC6916401 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201910603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Designing engineering materials with high stiffness and high toughness is challenging as stiff materials tend to be brittle. Many biological materials realize this objective through multiscale (i.e., atomic- to macroscale) mechanisms that are extremely difficult to replicate in synthetic materials. Inspired from the architecture of such biological structures, we here present flow-assisted organization and assembly of renewable native cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), which yields highly anisotropic biofibers characterized by a unique combination of high strength (1010 MPa), high toughness (62 MJ m-3 ) and high stiffness (57 GPa). We observed that properties of the fibers are primarily governed by specific ion characteristics such as hydration enthalpy and polarizability. A fundamental facet of this study is thus to elucidate the role of specific anion binding following the Hofmeister series on the mechanical properties of wet fibrillar networks, and link this to the differences in properties of dry nanostructured fibers. This knowledge is useful for rational design of nanomaterials and is critical for validation of specific ion effect theories. The bioinspired assembly demonstrated here is relevant example for designing high-performance materials with absolute structural control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitesh Mittal
- Linné FLOW CentreDepartment of MechanicsKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSE-100 44Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science CenterKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSE-100 44Sweden
- Department of Chemical EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMA02142USA
| | - Tobias Benselfelt
- Wallenberg Wood Science CenterKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSE-100 44Sweden
- Department of Fibre and Polymer TechnologyKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSE-100 44Sweden
| | - Farhan Ansari
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringStanford UniversityStanfordCA94305-2205USA
| | - Korneliya Gordeyeva
- Linné FLOW CentreDepartment of MechanicsKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSE-100 44Sweden
| | - Stephan V. Roth
- Department of Fibre and Polymer TechnologyKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSE-100 44Sweden
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)22607HamburgGermany
| | - Lars Wågberg
- Wallenberg Wood Science CenterKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSE-100 44Sweden
- Department of Fibre and Polymer TechnologyKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSE-100 44Sweden
| | - L. Daniel Söderberg
- Linné FLOW CentreDepartment of MechanicsKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSE-100 44Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science CenterKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSE-100 44Sweden
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31
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Blamires SJ, Sellers WI. Modelling temperature and humidity effects on web performance: implications for predicting orb-web spider ( Argiope spp.) foraging under Australian climate change scenarios. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz083. [PMID: 31832193 PMCID: PMC6899225 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Phenotypic features extending beyond the body, or EPs, may vary plastically across environments. EP constructs, such as spider webs, vary in property across environments as a result of changes to the physiology of the animal or interactions between the environment and the integrity of the material from which the EP is manufactured. Due to the complexity of the interactions between EP constructs and the environment, the impact of climate change on EP functional integrity is poorly understood. Here we used a dynamic model to assess how temperature and humidity influence spider web major ampullate (MA) silk properties. MA silk is the silk that absorbs the impact of prey striking the web, hence our model provides a useful interpretation of web performance over the temperature (i.e. 20-55°C) and humidity (i.e. 15-100%) ranges assessed. Our results showed that extremely high or low humidity had direct negative effects on web capture performance, with changes in temperature likely having indirect effects. Undeniably, the effect of temperature on web architecture and its interactive effect with humidity on web tension and capture thread stickiness need to be factored into any further predictions of plausible climate change impacts. Since our study is the first to model plasticity in an EP construct's functionality and to extrapolate the results to predict climate change impacts, it stands as a template for future studies that endeavour to make predictions about the influence of climate change on animal EPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- S J Blamires
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - W I Sellers
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Williamson Building, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
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32
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Dou Y, Wang ZP, He W, Jia T, Liu Z, Sun P, Wen K, Gao E, Zhou X, Hu X, Li J, Fang S, Qian D, Liu Z. Artificial spider silk from ion-doped and twisted core-sheath hydrogel fibres. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5293. [PMID: 31757964 PMCID: PMC6874677 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13257-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Spider silks show unique combinations of strength, toughness, extensibility, and energy absorption. To date, it has been difficult to obtain spider silk-like mechanical properties using non-protein approaches. Here, we report on an artificial spider silk produced by the water-evaporation-induced self-assembly of hydrogel fibre made from polyacrylic acid and silica nanoparticles. The artificial spider silk consists of hierarchical core-sheath structured hydrogel fibres, which are reinforced by ion doping and twist insertion. The fibre exhibits a tensile strength of 895 MPa and a stretchability of 44.3%, achieving mechanical properties comparable to spider silk. The material also presents a high toughness of 370 MJ m-3 and a damping capacity of 95%. The hydrogel fibre shows only ~1/9 of the impact force of cotton yarn with negligible rebound when used for impact reduction applications. This work opens an avenue towards the fabrication of artificial spider silk with applications in kinetic energy buffering and shock-absorbing.
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Grants
- the National Key Research and Development Program of China (grant 2017YFB0307000), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grants U1533122 and 51773094), the National Robotics Programme (Grant 172 25 00063) funded by A*STAR-SERC, Singapore, the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin (grant 18JCZDJC36800), the Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of Tianjin (grant 18JCJQJC46600), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (grant 63171219), the State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibres and Polymer Materials, Donghua University LK1704, the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (grant 63191139), the National Science Foundation (grant CMMI-1727960).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Dou
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Nankai University, 300071, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhen-Pei Wang
- Institute of High Performance Computing, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138632, Singapore
| | - Wenqian He
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Nankai University, 300071, Tianjin, China
| | - Tianjiao Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Nankai University, 300071, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhuangjian Liu
- Institute of High Performance Computing, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138632, Singapore
| | - Pingchuan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Nankai University, 300071, Tianjin, China
| | - Kai Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Nankai University, 300071, Tianjin, China
- Department of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, 211198, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Enlai Gao
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, 430072, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiang Zhou
- Department of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, 211198, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoyu Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Nankai University, 300071, Tianjin, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Nankai University, 300071, Tianjin, China
| | - Shaoli Fang
- Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Dong Qian
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Zunfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Nankai University, 300071, Tianjin, China.
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33
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Mittal N, Benselfelt T, Ansari F, Gordeyeva K, Roth SV, Wågberg L, Söderberg LD. Ion‐Specific Assembly of Strong, Tough, and Stiff Biofibers. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201910603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nitesh Mittal
- Linné FLOW CentreDepartment of MechanicsKTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm SE-100 44 Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science CenterKTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm SE-100 44 Sweden
- Department of Chemical EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge MA 02142 USA
| | - Tobias Benselfelt
- Wallenberg Wood Science CenterKTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm SE-100 44 Sweden
- Department of Fibre and Polymer TechnologyKTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm SE-100 44 Sweden
| | - Farhan Ansari
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringStanford University Stanford CA 94305-2205 USA
| | - Korneliya Gordeyeva
- Linné FLOW CentreDepartment of MechanicsKTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm SE-100 44 Sweden
| | - Stephan V. Roth
- Department of Fibre and Polymer TechnologyKTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm SE-100 44 Sweden
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) 22607 Hamburg Germany
| | - Lars Wågberg
- Wallenberg Wood Science CenterKTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm SE-100 44 Sweden
- Department of Fibre and Polymer TechnologyKTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm SE-100 44 Sweden
| | - L. Daniel Söderberg
- Linné FLOW CentreDepartment of MechanicsKTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm SE-100 44 Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science CenterKTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm SE-100 44 Sweden
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34
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Wilczek G, Surmiak K, Wawszczak B, Sajewicz M, Kowalska T, Sindera P, Wiśniewska K, Szulinska E. Effect of long-term cadmium and copper intoxication on the efficiency of ampullate silk glands in false black widow Steatoda grossa (Theridiidae) spiders. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2019; 224:108564. [PMID: 31276814 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2019.108564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to compare cellular effects of xenobiotic cadmium and biogenic copper in ampullate silk glands of false black widow Steatoda grossa spider after long-term exposure via ingestion under laboratory conditions. Both the level of selected detoxification parameters (glutathione S-transferase, catalase, and the level of total antioxidant capacity) and degree of genotoxic changes (comet assay) were determined in the silk glands. Additionally the contents of selected amino acids (L-Ala, L-Pro, L-His, L-Phe, DL-Ile, and DL-Asn) in the hunting webs produced by spiders of this species were assessed. The ability of S. grossa females to accumulate cadmium was higher than that for copper. Long-term exposure of spiders to copper did not change the level of detoxification parameters, and the level of DNA damage in the cells of ampullate silk glands was also low. Cadmium had a stronger prooxidative and genotoxic effect than copper in the cells of the analyzed silk glands. However, regardless of the type of metal used, no significant changes in the level of amino acids in silk were found. The obtained results confirmed the effectiveness of metal neutralization mechanisms in the body of the studied spider species, which results in the protection of the function of ampullate silk glands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grażyna Wilczek
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland.
| | - Kinga Surmiak
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Beata Wawszczak
- Department of General Chemistry and Chromatography, Institute of Chemistry, University of Silesia, Szkolna 9, Katowice 40-006, Poland
| | - Mieczysław Sajewicz
- Department of General Chemistry and Chromatography, Institute of Chemistry, University of Silesia, Szkolna 9, Katowice 40-006, Poland
| | - Teresa Kowalska
- Department of General Chemistry and Chromatography, Institute of Chemistry, University of Silesia, Szkolna 9, Katowice 40-006, Poland
| | - Piotr Sindera
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Kamila Wiśniewska
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Szulinska
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
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35
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Horbelt N, Eder M, Bertinetti L, Fratzl P, Harrington MJ. Unraveling the Rapid Assembly Process of Stiff Cellulosic Fibers from Mistletoe Berries. Biomacromolecules 2019; 20:3094-3103. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b00648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nils Horbelt
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam 14424, Germany
| | - Michaela Eder
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam 14424, Germany
| | - Luca Bertinetti
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam 14424, Germany
| | - Peter Fratzl
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam 14424, Germany
| | - Matthew J. Harrington
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
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36
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N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine-Loaded Chitosan Filaments Biodegradable and Biocompatible for Use as Absorbable Surgical Suture Materials. MATERIALS 2019; 12:ma12111807. [PMID: 31167371 PMCID: PMC6600723 DOI: 10.3390/ma12111807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to prepare chitosan (CS) filaments incorporated with N-acetyl-D-Glucosamine (GlcNAc), using the wet spinning method, in order to combine the GlcNAc pharmacological properties with the CS biological properties for use as absorbable suture materials. The filaments were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), uniaxial tensile testing, in vitro biodegradation, and through in vitro drug release and cytotoxicity studies. It was observed that the addition of GlcNAc did not alter the morphology of the filaments. The CS and CS/GlcNAc filaments presented diameters 145 µm and 148 µm, respectively, and the surfaces were homogeneous. Although the mechanical resistance of the chitosan filaments decreased with the incorporation of the GlcNAc drug, this property was greater than the mean values indicated in the U.S. Pharmacopeia (1.7 N) for suture number 6-0 (filament diameter of 100–149 μm). The biodegradation of the CS filaments was accelerated by the addition of GlcNAc. After 35 days, the CS/GlcNAc filaments degradability was at its total, and for the CS filaments it was acquired in 49 days. The in vitro kinetic of the release process was of the zero-order and Hopfenberg models, controlled by both diffusion and erosion process. The in vitro cytotoxicity data of the CS and CS/GlcNAc filaments toward L929 cells showed that these filaments are nontoxic to these cells. Thus, the GlcNAc-loaded CS filaments might be promising as absorbable suture materials. In addition, this medical device may be able to enhance healing processes, relieve pain, and minimize infection at the surgery site due the prolonged release of GlcNAc.
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37
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Wilczek G, Karcz J, Rost-Roszkowska M, Kędziorski A, Wilczek P, Skowronek M, Wiśniewska K, Kaszuba F, Surmiak K. Evaluation of selected biological properties of the hunting web spider (Steatoda grossa, Theridiidae) in the aspect of short- and long-term exposure to cadmium. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 656:297-306. [PMID: 30504028 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The study aimed at comparing the effects of short- and long-term exposure of Steatoda grossa female spiders to cadmium on the web's architecture, its energy content, and ultrastructure of ampullate glands. Simple food chain model (medium with 0.25 mM CdCl2 → Drosophila hydei flies → spider (for 4 weeks or 12 months) was used for the exposure. Analysis of Cd content provided evidence that silk fibers of the web are well protected against its incorporation irrespectively of the exposure period. Long-term exposure to cadmium resulted in the occurrence of numerous autophagosomes with degenerated organelles as well as apoptotic and necrotic cells in the ampullate glands. Concurrently, the individual silk fibers building double and multiple combination complexes were significantly thinner than in the control threads. Moreover, exposed spiders spun net with smaller mean calorific value than did the control individuals. Hence, evaluation of both the diameter of silk fibers and calorific value of the web can serve as biomarkers of the effects caused by exposure of these predators to cadmium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grażyna Wilczek
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland.
| | - Jagna Karcz
- Laboratory of Scanning Electron Microscopy, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Jagiellońska 28, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Magdalena Rost-Roszkowska
- Department of Embriology and Histology of Animals, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Andrzej Kędziorski
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Piotr Wilczek
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Heart Prosthesis Institute FRK, Wolności 345a, Zabrze 41-800, Poland
| | - Magdalena Skowronek
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Kamila Wiśniewska
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Florentyna Kaszuba
- Department of Embriology and Histology of Animals, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Kinga Surmiak
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
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38
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Dao AT, Shimokata J, Takeuchi K, Nakayama K, Taniike T. Stabilization of recombinant spider silk in thermo-oxidative degradation: High-throughput screening for antioxidants. Polym Degrad Stab 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2018.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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39
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Yazawa K, Malay AD, Ifuku N, Ishii T, Masunaga H, Hikima T, Numata K. Combination of Amorphous Silk Fiber Spinning and Postspinning Crystallization for Tough Regenerated Silk Fibers. Biomacromolecules 2018; 19:2227-2237. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b00232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kenjiro Yazawa
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Ali D. Malay
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Nao Ifuku
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Takaoki Ishii
- Biomacromolecules 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
- Harima Institute SPring-8 Center, Research Infrastructure Group, 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
| | - Takaaki Hikima
- Harima Institute SPring-8 Center, Research Infrastructure Group, 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
| | - Keiji Numata
- Biomacromolecules Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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Rodríguez-Cabello JC, González de Torre I, Ibañez-Fonseca A, Alonso M. Bioactive scaffolds based on elastin-like materials for wound healing. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2018; 129:118-133. [PMID: 29551651 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2018.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Wound healing is a complex process that, in healthy tissues, starts immediately after the injury. Even though it is a natural well-orchestrated process, large trauma wounds, or injuries caused by acids or other chemicals, usually produce a non-elastic deformed tissue that not only have biological reduced properties but a clear aesthetic effect. One of the main drawbacks of the scaffolds used for wound dressing is the lack of elasticity, driving to non-elastic and contracted tissues. In the last decades, elastin based materials have gained in importance as biomaterials for tissue engineering applications due to their good cyto- and bio-compatibility, their ease handling and design, production and modification. Synthetic elastin or elastin like-peptides (ELPs) are the two main families of biomaterials that try to mimic the outstanding properties of natural elastin, elasticity amongst others; although there are no in vivo studies that clearly support that these two families of elastin based materials improve the elasticity of the artificial scaffolds and of the regenerated skin. Within the next pages a review of the different forms (coacervates, fibres, hydrogels and biofunctionalized surfaces) in which these two families of biomaterials can be processed to be applied in the wound healing field have been done. Here, we explore the mechanical and biological properties of these scaffolds as well as the different in vivo approaches in which these scaffolds have been used.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Carlos Rodríguez-Cabello
- BIOFORGE, CIBER-BBN, Edificio Lucia, Universidad de Valladolid, Paseo Belén 19, 47011 Valladolid, Spain; G.I.R. BIOFORGE, Universidad de Valladolid, Paseo de Belén 19, 47011 Valladolid, Spain.
| | - I González de Torre
- BIOFORGE, CIBER-BBN, Edificio Lucia, Universidad de Valladolid, Paseo Belén 19, 47011 Valladolid, Spain; G.I.R. BIOFORGE, Universidad de Valladolid, Paseo Belén 9 A, 47011 Valladolid, Spain.
| | - A Ibañez-Fonseca
- BIOFORGE, CIBER-BBN, Edificio Lucia, Universidad de Valladolid, Paseo Belén 19, 47011 Valladolid, Spain; G.I.R. BIOFORGE, Universidad de Valladolid, Paseo Belén 9 A, 47011 Valladolid, Spain.
| | - M Alonso
- BIOFORGE, CIBER-BBN, Edificio Lucia, Universidad de Valladolid, Paseo Belén 19, 47011 Valladolid, Spain; G.I.R. BIOFORGE, Universidad de Valladolid, Paseo de Belén 19, 47011 Valladolid, Spain.
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41
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Quantifying Young's moduli of protein fibrils and particles with bimodal force spectroscopy. Biointerphases 2017; 12:041001. [DOI: 10.1116/1.4996447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Hafner K, Montag D, Maeser H, Peng C, Marcotte WR, Dean D, Kennedy MS. Evaluating adhesion and alignment of dental pulp stem cells to a spider silk substrate for tissue engineering applications. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2017; 81:104-112. [PMID: 28887952 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2017.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A proposed source of stem cells for nerve regeneration are dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), based on their close embryonic origin to neurons and the ease with which DPSCs can be obtained from a donor. This study evaluated the response of human DPSCs to spider dragline silk fibers, a potential substrate material for tissue regeneration. The DPSCs' morphology and spread pattern were characterized after these cells were plated onto Nephila clavipes dragline fibers in media. In addition, the responses of two other well established cell lines, osteoblasts (7F2s), and fibroblasts (3T3s), were also studied under identical conditions. The inclusion of 3T3s and 7F2s in this study allowed for both direct comparisons to prior published work and a qualitative comparison to the morphology of the DPSCs. After twelve days, the DPSCs exhibited greater relative alignment and adherence to the spider dragline fibers than the 3T3s and 7F2s. The impact of a common sterilization method (ultraviolet light) on the spider dragline fiber surface and subsequent cell response to this modified surface was also characterized. Exposure of the silk to ultraviolet light did not have a measureable effect on cell alignment, but it did eliminate bacterial growth and changed fiber surface roughness. Spiders' exposure to stressful environments did not have an effect on silk to impair cell alignment or adhesion. Synthetic recombinant protein silk did not act as a substrate for cell adhesion or alignment but hydrogels with similar composition supported cell attachment, growth and proliferation. In all cases, natural drawn spider silk acted as an effective substrate for cellular adhesion and alignment of DPSCs and could be used in neural differentiation applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Hafner
- Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Rhodes Hall Rm. 301, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
| | - Dallas Montag
- Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Rhodes Hall Rm. 301, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
| | - Hannah Maeser
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Clemson University, Sirrine Hall Rm. 161, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
| | - Congyue Peng
- Department of Genetics & Biochemistry, Clemson University, Poole Agricultural Center Rm. 154, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
| | - William R Marcotte
- Department of Genetics & Biochemistry, Clemson University, Poole Agricultural Center Rm. 154, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
| | - Delphine Dean
- Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Rhodes Hall Rm. 301, Clemson, SC 29634, United States.
| | - Marian S Kennedy
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Clemson University, Sirrine Hall Rm. 161, Clemson, SC 29634, United States.
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Wilczek G, Karcz J, Putko A, Kędziorski A, Wilczek P, Stalmach M, Szulińska E. The effect of ingested cadmium on the calorific value and structural properties of hunting webs produced by Steatoda grossa (Theridiidae) spiders. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 586:1298-1307. [PMID: 28237463 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Revised: 02/16/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The study aimed to assess whether cadmium administered via ingestion to Steatoda grossa cobweb spiders (Theridiidae) affects the energy content and selected structural properties of the produced hunting webs. Cadmium content in webs was assessed with AAS and SEM X-ray microanalysis, while the diameters of silk fibers were estimated with SEM. The energy content of samples was measured in an oxygen micro-bomb calorimeter. Females and males showed different reactions to cadmium supplied through food. In comparison to females, males displayed higher metal concentrations in their bodies and hunting webs, however their calorific values and structural features were not significantly changed. Cadmium-treated females spun webs with smaller single-strand diameters and more frequent multi-stranded threads and invested 47% less energy in web production than the control individuals. It cannot be excluded that such a reduction in energy expenditure for web building in females resulted from energetically costly detoxifying reactions triggered in response to direct and indirect effects of cadmium toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grażyna Wilczek
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland.
| | - Jagna Karcz
- Laboratory of Scanning Electron Microscopy, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Jagiellońska 28, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Anna Putko
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Andrzej Kędziorski
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Piotr Wilczek
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Heart Prosthesis Institute FRK, Wolności 345a, Zabrze 41-800, Poland
| | - Monika Stalmach
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Szulińska
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007, Poland
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Blamires SJ, Blackledge TA, Tso IM. Physicochemical Property Variation in Spider Silk: Ecology, Evolution, and Synthetic Production. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 62:443-460. [PMID: 27959639 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-031616-035615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The unique combination of great stiffness, strength, and extensibility makes spider major ampullate (MA) silk desirable for various biomimetic and synthetic applications. Intensive research on the genetics, biochemistry, and biomechanics of this material has facilitated a thorough understanding of its properties at various levels. Nevertheless, methods such as cloning, recombination, and electrospinning have not successfully produced materials with properties as impressive as those of spider silk. It is nevertheless becoming clear that silk properties are a consequence of whole-organism interactions with the environment in addition to genetic expression, gland biochemistry, and spinning processes. Here we assimilate the research done and assess the techniques used to determine distinct forms of spider silk chemical and physical property variability. We suggest that more research should focus on testing hypotheses that explain spider silk property variations in ecological and evolutionary contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean J Blamires
- Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung 40704, Taiwan;
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia;
| | - Todd A Blackledge
- Department of Biology, Integrated Bioscience Program, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325;
| | - I-Min Tso
- Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung 40704, Taiwan;
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Zheng L, Behrooz M, Gordaninejad F. A bioinspired adaptive spider web. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2017; 12:016012. [PMID: 28094244 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/12/1/016012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This work presents an adaptive structure inspired by spider webs' behavior. To investigate the dynamic properties and performance of this system, numerical models are developed to examine the effects of pretension in radial strings, and Young's modulus, and damping ratio on the natural frequency and total energy of the system. An experimental study was conducted to validate theoretical results. Stepper motors controlled by a microcontroller are utilized to increase the pretension in the radial strings of the web in order to tune the web's energy absorption ability. It is demonstrated that the pretension, Young's modulus, and damping ratio in the radial strings can significantly affect the natural frequency and total energy of full and damaged webs. It is also shown that increasing the pretension in the radial strings compensates for the loss of stiffness due to the damaged strings. Finally, it is shown that controlling the pretension in radial strings can provide higher energy absorption capability for the spider web.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Zheng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Composite and Intelligent Materials Laboratory, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
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Lang G, Neugirg BR, Kluge D, Fery A, Scheibel T. Mechanical Testing of Engineered Spider Silk Filaments Provides Insights into Molecular Features on a Mesoscale. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2017; 9:892-900. [PMID: 27935285 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b13093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Spider dragline silk shows the highest toughness in comparison to all other known natural or man-made fibers. Despite a broad experimental foundation concerning the macroscopic silk thread properties as well as a thorough simulation-based molecular understanding, the impact of the mesoscale building blocks, namely nano-/submicrometer-sized filaments, on the mechanical properties of the threads remains the missing link. Here, we illustrate the function of these mesoscaled building blocks using electrospun fibers made of a recombinant spider silk protein and show the impact of β-sheet content and fiber hydration on their mechanical performance. Specifically elucidating the interplay between β-sheet-cross-linking (fiber strength) and structural water (fiber extensibility), the results bridge the gap between the molecular and the macroscopic view on the mechanics of spider silk. It is demonstrated that the extensibility of the here used single (MaSp2-like) protein system is in good accordance with the simulated extensibilities published by other groups. Furthermore, sufficient hydration of the fibers is shown to be a prerequisite to obtain a toughness in the range of that of natural dragline silk. Preliminary studies on electrospun fibers of the MaSp2-based recombinant spider silk proteins used in this work have indicated their basic applicability in the technical field of filter systems as well as in regenerative medicine. The presented work provides a fundamental understanding of the mechanical performance of such fibers under different wetting conditions, a prerequisite to further specify their potential for such applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Andreas Fery
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Institute of Physical Chemistry and Polymer Physics , Dresden 01069, Germany
- Chair for Physical Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, Technical University Dresden , Dresden 01069, Germany
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Das R, Kumar A, Patel A, Vijay S, Saurabh S, Kumar N. Biomechanical characterization of spider webs. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2016; 67:101-109. [PMID: 27988439 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2016.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Revised: 11/26/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In light of recent focus on the behaviour of the natural structures for revolutionary technological growth, spider web seems to have seized considerable attention of product designer due to its amazing behaviour. In present work, mechanism behind the structural integrity of the spider web along with the materialistic analysis of its constituent silk threads has been extensively investigated. The nanoindentation tool both in static and dynamic mode has been utilized for complete analysis of the mechanical behaviour of the spiral and radial threads separately. Both the average elastic modulus and hardness of the radial silk thread is higher than the spiral silk thread which reveals the radial silk thread is the major structural component of the web. The sustainability of spider webs under storm, windy conditions and during the impact of pray has been investigated under dynamic conditions. The radial silk thread exhibits elastic like response and the spiral silk thread exhibits viscous like response in a wide frequency range (1-200Hz). The damping characteristic of the radial and spiral silk threads, an important parameter to investigate the energy dissipation properties of the materials has also been investigated in windy conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Das
- School of Mechanical, Materials and Energy Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Nangal Road, Rupnagar 140001, Punjab, India
| | - Amit Kumar
- School of Mechanical, Materials and Energy Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Nangal Road, Rupnagar 140001, Punjab, India
| | - Anurag Patel
- School of Mechanical, Materials and Energy Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Nangal Road, Rupnagar 140001, Punjab, India
| | - Sahil Vijay
- School of Mechanical, Materials and Energy Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Nangal Road, Rupnagar 140001, Punjab, India
| | - Shashank Saurabh
- School of Mechanical, Materials and Energy Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Nangal Road, Rupnagar 140001, Punjab, India
| | - Navin Kumar
- School of Mechanical, Materials and Energy Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Nangal Road, Rupnagar 140001, Punjab, India.
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Krasnov I, Seydel T, Greving I, Blankenburg M, Vollrath F, Müller M. Strain-dependent fractional molecular diffusion in humid spider silk fibres. J R Soc Interface 2016; 13:20160506. [PMID: 27628174 PMCID: PMC5046950 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2016.0506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Spider silk is a material well known for its outstanding mechanical properties, combining elasticity and tensile strength. The molecular mobility within the silk's polymer structure on the nanometre length scale importantly contributes to these macroscopic properties. We have therefore investigated the ensemble-averaged single-particle self-dynamics of the prevailing hydrogen atoms in humid spider dragline silk fibres on picosecond time scales in situ as a function of an externally applied tensile strain. We find that the molecular diffusion in the amorphous fraction of the oriented fibres can be described by a generalized fractional diffusion coefficient Kα that is independent of the observation length scale in the probed range from approximately 0.3-3.5 nm. Kα increases towards a diffusion coefficient of the classical Fickian type with increasing tensile strain consistent with an increasing loss of memory or entropy in the polymer matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Krasnov
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Universität Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany Institute of Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG), 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Tilo Seydel
- Institut Max von Laue-Paul Langevin (ILL), CS 20156, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Imke Greving
- Institute of Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG), 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Malte Blankenburg
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Universität Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany Institute of Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG), 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Fritz Vollrath
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX13PS, UK
| | - Martin Müller
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Universität Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany Institute of Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG), 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
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Puglisi G, Saccomandi G. Multi-scale modelling of rubber-like materials and soft tissues: an appraisal. Proc Math Phys Eng Sci 2016; 472:20160060. [PMID: 27118927 DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2016.0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We survey, in a partial way, multi-scale approaches for the modelling of rubber-like and soft tissues and compare them with classical macroscopic phenomenological models. Our aim is to show how it is possible to obtain practical mathematical models for the mechanical behaviour of these materials incorporating mesoscopic (network scale) information. Multi-scale approaches are crucial for the theoretical comprehension and prediction of the complex mechanical response of these materials. Moreover, such models are fundamental in the perspective of the design, through manipulation at the micro- and nano-scales, of new polymeric and bioinspired materials with exceptional macroscopic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Puglisi
- Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ingegneria Civile e dell'Architettura , Politecnico di Bari , Via Re David 200, Bari, Italy
| | - G Saccomandi
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia 06125, Italy; School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
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50
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Numata K, Masunaga H, Hikima T, Sasaki S, Sekiyama K, Takata M. Use of extension-deformation-based crystallisation of silk fibres to differentiate their functions in nature. SOFT MATTER 2015; 11:6335-6342. [PMID: 26166211 DOI: 10.1039/c5sm00757g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
β-Sheet crystals play an important role in determining the stiffness, strength, and optical properties of silk and in the exhibition of silk-type-specific functions. It is important to elucidate the structural changes that occur during the stretching of silk fibres to understand the functions of different types of fibres. Herein, we elucidate the initial crystallisation behaviour of silk molecules during the stretching of three types of silk fibres using synchrotron radiation X-ray analysis. When spider dragline silk was stretched, it underwent crystallisation and the alignment of the β-sheet crystals became disordered initially but was later recovered. On the other hand, silkworm cocoon silk did not exhibit further crystallisation, whereas capture spiral silk was predominantly amorphous. Structural analyses showed that the crystallisation of silks following extension deformation has a critical effect on their mechanical and optical properties. These findings should aid the production of artificial silk fibres and facilitate the development of silk-inspired functional materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiji Numata
- Enzyme Research Team, Biomass Engineering Program Cooperative Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
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