Biocompatible materials from regenerated silk for tissue engineering and medicinal therapy

Abstract

The present review is devoted to the application of biomaterials from regenerated silk for designing tissue-engineered constructs—the basis for hybrid organs and tissues. Fibroin, the main structural protein of silkworm silk, can be used to design artificial cartilages, bone tissue fragments, blood vessels, as well as to regenerate nervous tissue. Fibroin capsules containing bioactive compounds are successfully applicable in medicinal therapy, such as controlled drug delivery in cancer treatment. Apart from fibroin, tissue engineering can successfully be based on biopolymer spidroin, a spider net protein, which is also a biocompatible material with valuable mechanical properties.