Electrospinning Equipment: How to improve the physical and chemical properties of biomedical silk materials? -- Blending and cross-linking of silk fibroin

Advantages and applications of silk fibroin-based composite materials

Improved physicochemical properties: The physicochemical properties of silk fibroin have been significantly improved by blending or cross-linking with other polymers. For example, after silk fibroin is blended with collagen, the mechanical properties are significantly better than those of pure silk fibroin film. Silk fibroin/chitosan three-dimensional porous scaffolds have high porosity, high water absorption and high swelling rate, and can be used as bone tissue engineering scaffold materials.

Wide range of applications: Silk fibroin-based composite materials have shown good application prospects in many fields such as cartilage repair, bone tissue engineering, wound dressings, artificial skin, and drug carriers.

Application of electrospinning equipment in silk fibroin-based composite materials

Preparation of nanofiber structure: Electrospinning equipment can prepare silk fibroin-based nanofibers with smaller diameters and higher surface area to volume ratios. These nanofibers can be used to construct tissue engineering scaffolds, simulate the microstructure of natural extracellular matrix, and promote cell migration, proliferation, adhesion and differentiation.

Regulating fiber morphology and arrangement: By adjusting the parameters in the electrospinning process (such as spinning solution concentration, viscosity, electric field strength, etc.), the diameter and morphology of nanofibers can be precisely controlled. For example, oriented nanofiber scaffolds with highly consistent fiber arrangement can be prepared, which can significantly affect cell adhesion, migration, proliferation and differentiation.

Loading bioactive substances: Electrospinning equipment can prepare nanofiber scaffolds loaded with bioactive molecules. For example, growth factors and drugs that promote cell growth and differentiation are loaded into silk fibroin-based nanofibers, and the sustained effect of bioactive substances in tissue engineering sites is achieved by controlling the release rate.

Application in meniscus repair: Electrospinning technology has been used to manufacture nanofiber scaffolds for meniscus tissue engineering. These scaffolds can induce colonization of meniscus cells by regulating local extracellular density and stimulate endogenous regeneration by driving the reprogramming of the meniscus wound microenvironment

Summary and Outlook

Electrospinning equipment has important application prospects in the preparation of silk fibroin-based composite materials. It can prepare nanofiber scaffolds with excellent structure and performance to promote cell growth and tissue regeneration. Future research can further optimize material selection and spinning process parameters, improve the biocompatibility and mechanical properties of scaffolds, and promote their wide application in biomedicine and tissue engineering.

Electrospinning Nanofibers Article Source:

https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14061510