Advances of regenerated and functionalized silk biomaterials and application in skin wound healing.

Abstract

The cocoon silk of silkworms (Bombyx mori) has multiple potential applications in biomedicine due to its good biocompatibility, mechanical properties, degradability, and plasticity. Numerous studies have confirmed that silk material dressings are more effective than traditional ones in the skin wound healing process. Silk material research has recently moved toward functionalized biomaterials and achieved remarkable results. Herein, we summarize the recent advances in functionalized silk materials and their efficacy in skin wound healing. In particular, transgenic technology has realized the specific expression of human growth factors in the silk glands of the silkworms, which lays the foundation for fabricating novel and low-cost functionalized materials. Without a green and safe preparation process, the best raw silk materials cannot be made into medically safe products. Therefore, we provide an overview of green and gentle approaches for silk degumming and silk sericin (SS) extraction. Moreover, we summarize and discuss the processing methods of silk fibroin (SF) and SS materials and their potential applications, such as burns, diabetic wounds, and other wounds. This review aims to enhance our understanding of new advances and directions in silk materials and guide future biomedical research.

• Authors: Sheng-Lan Wang, Xiao-Wei Li, Wei Xu, Quan-You Yu, Shou-Min Fang
• Journal: International journal of biological macromolecules (Int J Biol Macromol) Vol. 254 Issue Pt 3 Pg. 128024 (Jan 2024) ISSN: 1879-0003 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 37972830 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Silk
• Biocompatible Materials
• Fibroins

Topics

• Animals
• Humans
• Silk
• Biocompatible Materials (pharmacology)
• Wound Healing
• Bombyx
• Fibroins (pharmacology)