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Genipin-modified silk-fibroin nanometric nets
Simone S Silva1, Devid Maniglio, Antonella Motta
13B's Research Group-Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, Department of Polymer Engineering, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. simonesilva@dep.uminho.pt
Macromolecular Bioscience
|April 25, 2008
Summary
Genipin crosslinking creates water-insoluble silk-fibroin (SF) nanofibers, eliminating post-treatment stabilization. This method yields stable, nanometric SFGE nets with desirable structural properties for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Materials Chemistry
- Textile Engineering
Background:
- Regenerated Bombyx mori silk-fibroin (SF) nanofibers are typically water-soluble, requiring post-spinning stabilization.
- Crosslinking agents are often necessary to impart water insolubility to silk-fibroin materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for fabricating water-insoluble silk-fibroin nanofibers without post-treatment.
- To investigate the effect of genipin (GE) crosslinking on the properties of electrospun silk-fibroin.
Main Methods:
- Electrospinning of regenerated Bombyx mori silk-fibroin (SF) solutions with varying genipin (GE) addition times.
- Characterization of the resulting SF/GE nanofibers, including water solubility, diameter, and secondary structure analysis.
Main Results:
- Genipin addition resulted in water-insoluble SFGE nanofibers due to induced conformational changes in silk-fibroin.
- SFGE nanofibers exhibited diameters ranging from 140 to 590 nm, generally thinner than pure SF nanofibers.
- The secondary structure of SFGE nanofibers showed a combination of beta-sheet and beta-turn conformations.
Conclusions:
- Genipin effectively crosslinks silk-fibroin during electrospinning, yielding water-insoluble nanofibers.
- This approach offers a streamlined method for producing stable silk-fibroin nanomaterials.
- The developed SFGE nanofibers possess suitable structural characteristics for various applications requiring water stability.
