Electrospinning Equipment: Silk fibroin for skin damage repair: what is the situation?

Unique properties and application prospects of silk fibroin

Silk fibroin (SF) is a natural protein extracted from silkworm cocoons, which has excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, low immunogenicity, adjustable mechanical properties and good water solubility. These properties make silk fibroin an ideal material for skin tissue engineering and wound healing. Silk fibroin can mimic the structure and function of the extracellular matrix and promote cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation.

Application of silk fibroin in skin wound healing

Promoting cell behavior: Silk fibroin can activate the NF-κB signaling pathway and regulate a variety of cell behaviors during wound healing, such as fibroblast proliferation and collagen secretion.

Mixing with other materials: Silk fibroin is often mixed with other materials to improve its performance. For example, mixing with materials such as chitosan and alginate can improve its mechanical properties and cell adhesion ability.

Functional modification: Silk fibroin can be functionalized by combining with growth factors, cytokines and drugs to further improve its effect in wound healing.

Application of electrospinning equipment in silk protein materials

Electrospinning equipment can produce high-performance nanofibers with high specific surface area, high porosity and good biocompatibility, which are widely used in fields such as tissue engineering and drug delivery. Combining electrospinning technology with the study of silk protein can further improve the performance and application effect of the material:

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 protein-based materials to improve their mechanical properties and stability.

Regulation of 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 continuous effect of bioactive substances on the wound healing site can be achieved.

Summary and Outlook

Silk fibroin, as a multifunctional natural material, can be processed by electrospinning technology to produce nanofibers with excellent structure and performance, expanding its application in skin tissue engineering and wound healing. Future research can further explore the combination of electrospinning technology with other emerging technologies, such as nanotechnology and smart materials, 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 industrialization of silk fibroin-based materials.

Electrospinning Nanofibers Article Source:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2019.09.003