Silk fibroin-polyurethane scaffolds for tissue engineering.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Protein Chemistry

Background:

• Silk fibroin (SF) offers excellent biocompatibility but lacks tunable mechanical properties.
• Polyurethanes (PUs) provide versatile 2D and 3D platforms for biomedical applications.
• Tailoring material properties is crucial for effective tissue regeneration scaffolds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To modify polyurethane (PU) surfaces with silk fibroin (SF) for tissue regeneration.
• To develop and validate a UV spectroscopy method for SF concentration analysis.
• To assess the stability and biological performance of SF-modified PU scaffolds.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of 2D PU films and 3D PU foams.
• Coating PU substrates with SF using a dipping technique.
• Stabilization of SF coating via conformational change (alpha- to beta-form) and methanol treatment.
• Development of a novel UV spectroscopy method for quantitative SF analysis.
• Evaluation of SF-coating stability under physiological conditions.
• Assessment of human fibroblast adhesion and growth on SF-modified PU scaffolds.

Main Results:

• SF-modified PU scaffolds (2D and 3D) were successfully fabricated.
• A stable SF coating was achieved through protein conformational change and methanol treatment.
• A novel UV spectroscopy method accurately quantified SF concentration using pure SF as a standard.
• SF coatings demonstrated good stability in physiological-like conditions.
• Preliminary tests showed that SF coating promotes human fibroblast adhesion and growth.

Conclusions:

• SF-modified PUs represent promising scaffolds for tissue engineering.
• The developed methodology offers accurate SF quantification for material characterization.
• The enhanced biocompatibility and cell interaction suggest suitability for regenerative medicine.