Will silk fibroin nanofiber scaffolds ever hold a useful place in Translational Regenerative Medicine?

Presently, some view silk fibroin-based biomaterials as obsolete, being outperformed by a host of newly discovered biomaterials. But several lines of evidence support the notion that silk fibroin proteins, especially those from B. mori and spiders and their recombinant forms, particularly in the form of electrospun nanofiber scaffolds, still represent promising tools for human tissue engineering/regeneration. Inevitably, the allure of recently reported biomaterials turns away many scientists and resources from the aim of more deeply elucidating the biological interactions of the various kinds of silk fibroin nanofiber scaffolds in vivo. But, even the biological features of newly reported biomaterials are not investigated in adequate depth. Hence, collaborative efforts among biomaterialists, biomedical experts, and private firms must be undertaken on a much greater scale than hitherto done to assess the real usefulness of silk fibroin proteins, thereby allowing or denying their useful introduction into the fields of Translational Regenerative Medicine.