Spider silk tissue engineering

A chain of repeated P bend motifs can form a flexible spring, a P spiral as proposed for elastin. Genes for spider silk have been cloned and are being used to engineer new proteins with commercial uses, e.g., to help anchor cells in regenerating body tissues. d/h/ ... 

In Nature, there are many examples of protein and peptide molecular self-assembly. Of the genetically engineered fibrous proteins, collagen, spider silks, and elastin have received attention due to their mechanical and biological properties which can be used for biomaterials and tissue engineering. 

Insect and spider silks are natural biopolymers whose molecular structure enables their use in applications requiring exceptional strength and flexibility of the material. These traits along with their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and the ability to produce large amounts of the material make the use of silk and silk-based biomaterials a rational choice for a host of tissue engineering applications. 

In contrast, spider silk is devoid of sericin and hence does not evoke the same biological or immunological reactions. Thus, spider silk has better biocompatibility and is a preferred biomaterial for suture applications. It has also been studied as a material for regenerative nerve conduits to promote peripheral nerve regeneration [33]. Silk s unique mechanical properties coupled with its ability to be fabricated into different textile structures enable its use in tissue engineering scaffolds that mimic the mechanical properties of native tissues. For example, silk filaments have been converted into a braided rope stracture that acts as a scaffold for the regeneration of anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) [34]. 

Though, so far relatively sparsely explored, functionalized recombinant spider silk scaffolds for cell culture might provide a broad range of solutions for in vitro cell culture and possibly also for tissue engineering apphcations. 

Agapov, I. I., Pustovalova, O. L., Moisenovich, M. M., Bogush, V. G., Sokolova, O. S., Sevasty-anov, V. I., Debabov, V. G., and Kirpichnikov, M. P. (2009). Three-Dimensional Scaffold Made from Recombinant Spider Silk Protein for Tissue Engineering. Dokl. Biochem. Biophys. 426, 127-130. 

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