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Silk-Based Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications

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Cellulose-Based Superabsorbent Hydrogels

Part of the book series: Polymers and Polymeric Composites: A Reference Series ((POPOC))

Abstract

Among the naturally occurring fibers, silk occupies a special position due to its properties. Silk fibroins, the unique proteins of silkworm fibers, are high-molecular-weight block copolymers consisting of a heavy (~370 kDa) and a light (~26 kDa) chain with varying amphiphilicity linked by a single disulphide bond. Bombyx mori silk is the most characterized silkworm silk. Researchers have investigated fibroin as one of the promising resources of biotechnology and biomedical materials due to its other unique properties including excellent biocompatibility, favorable oxygen permeability, and outstanding biodegradability, and the degradation product can be readily absorbed by the body with minimal inflammatory reaction. Silk hydrogels have been thoroughly studied for potential biotechnological applications due to their mechanical properties, biocompatibility, controllable degradation rates, and self-assembly into β-sheet networks. Hydrogels made from silk proteins have shown a potential in overcoming limitations of hydrogels prepared from conventional polymers. This chapter offers overview of the recent developments in silk protein-based hydrogels, both of fibroin and sericin proteins. It describes the approaches for obtaining silk hydrogels and ideas to improve the existing properties or to incorporate new features in the hydrogels by making composites. Characterization tools and modern bioapplications of the silk hydrogels for tissue engineering and controlled release are also reviewed. A special focus is given to silk fibroin composite hydrogels for bone tissue engineering applications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

    Bianca Galateanu, Ariana Hudita & Marieta Costache

  2. Advanced Polymer Materials Group, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

    Catalin Zaharia, Mihaela-Cristina Bunea & Eugenia Vasile

  3. National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies, Ramnicu Valcea, Romania

    Mihaela-Ramona Buga

Authors
  1. Bianca Galateanu
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  2. Ariana Hudita
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  3. Catalin Zaharia
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  4. Mihaela-Cristina Bunea
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  5. Eugenia Vasile
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  6. Mihaela-Ramona Buga
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  7. Marieta Costache
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Correspondence to Marieta Costache .

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  1. Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

    Md. Ibrahim H. Mondal

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Galateanu, B. et al. (2019). Silk-Based Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications. In: Mondal, M. (eds) Cellulose-Based Superabsorbent Hydrogels. Polymers and Polymeric Composites: A Reference Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77830-3_59

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