title: [Engineered spider silk: the intelligent biomaterial of the future. Part II].
abstract: The development and progress in engineered spider silk manufacturing has enabled its practical application. Recombinant spider silk can assemble in several morphological forms such as films, hydrogels, fibers, scaffolds, microcapsules, and micro- and nanospheres. The in vitro fiber formation takes place by mimicking the natural spinning process in the spider spinning gland: in the presence of phosphate ions and dragging forces. Films are obtained by evaporation of solvent from the silk solution, while the result of evaporation of the solvent in the presence of porogens is a silk scaffold. Hydrogels are formed by spontaneous polymerization of silk particles in solutions at low pH. The silk film assembled at the interface of two immiscible phases forms microcapsules. The smallest of the described forms--silk spheres--are obtained by salting out the silk protein solution after addition of the phosphate ions. Common properties of the silk biomaterials are biocompatibility and biodegradability, which make them suitable for a number of applications in medicine and pharmacy. Moreover, the strategy of hybrid proteins which provides the desired function to biomaterial will further expand their potential use.
authors: Międzyuczelniane Centrum NanoBioMedyczne Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu.
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Kaźmierska
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Florczak
authors: Konrad
authors: K
authors: Piekoś
authors: Andrzej
authors: A
authors: Mackiewicz
authors: Hanna
authors: H
authors: Dams-Kozłowska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006801:Humans; D047011:Silk / Q000378:metabolism*; D013112:Spiders
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D047011:Silk