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Template assembly technology: The research team developed a silk fibroin-based heart valve leaflet (SLEAF), which was prepared by template assembly technology. The technology constructs a physically optimal layered structure through a large number of firmly stacked β-folded crystals distributed within tyrosine-reinforced amorphous chains.
Performance improvement: Almost half (46.9%) of the silk fibroin-based heart valve leaflets in SLEAF contain firmly stacked β-folded layer crystals, resulting in a 292% increase in stacking strength. Compared with natural silk fibroin, its strength is increased by 1380%.
Durability test: The aortic valve composed of silk fibroin-based leaflets performed well under cardiovascular pressures of 60-180 mmHg, and the valve performance was satisfactory, exceeding the requirements of the industrial standard ISO 5840.
Cost-effectiveness: The manufacturing process of SLEAF-AV is cost-effective and has a high yield rate. Five silkworm cocoons (about 1.5 g; $0.25) are enough to make one SLEAF-AV.
Electrospinning equipment can produce high-performance nanofibers with high specific surface area, high porosity and good biocompatibility, which are widely used in tissue engineering, drug delivery and other fields. Combining electrospinning technology with silk fibroin research can further improve the performance and application effect of materials:
Preparation of nanofiber structure: Electrospinning can produce uniform continuous fibers with diameters ranging from nanometers to micrometers. These fibers can be used to construct reinforced structures of silk fibroin-based materials and improve their mechanical properties and stability.
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 the fiber can be precisely controlled, thereby optimizing the performance of the material.
Loading bioactive substances: Electrospinning equipment can prepare nanofiber scaffolds loaded with bioactive molecules, and by controlling the release rate, the sustained effect of bioactive substances in the heart valve replacement site can be achieved.
Combination with other technologies: Electrospinning technology can also be combined with 3D printing technology to achieve the precise construction of complex three-dimensional structures. For example, by installing an electrospinning print head and an extrusion print head at the same time, the printing process of active biological structures can be completed in a single step. This combination can provide more design freedom and higher precision for the preparation of silk fibroin-based materials, and meet the personalized customization of different heart valve replacement needs.
Silk fibroin heart valve leaflets (SLEAF) have achieved significant performance improvements through templated assembly technology, showing great potential in heart valve replacement. Electrospinning equipment plays an important role in the preparation of silk fibroin-based materials, and can prepare nanofibers with excellent structure and performance, further improving the performance and application effect of the materials. Future research can further explore the combination of electrospinning technology with other emerging technologies, such as nanotechnology, smart materials, etc., to achieve more complex and sophisticated structural design and functional regulation. In addition, the electrospinning process parameters and material selection can be optimized to improve the biocompatibility, mechanical properties and functionality of nanofibers, and promote the clinical transformation and application of silk fibroin-based materials in the field of heart valve replacement.
Electrospinning Nanofibers Article Source:
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202307106
