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Bioactive hierarchical silk fibers created by bioinspired self-assembly

Author

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  • Linpeng Fan

    (Deakin University)

  • Jing-Liang Li

    (Deakin University)

  • Zengxiao Cai

    (Deakin University)

  • Xungai Wang

    (Deakin University)

Abstract

Artificial recapitulation of the hierarchy of natural protein fibers is crucial to providing strategies for developing advanced fibrous materials. However, it is challenging due to the complexity of the natural environment. Inspired by the liquid crystalline spinning of spiders, we report the development of natural silk-like hierarchical fibers, with bundles of nanofibrils aligned in their long-axis direction, by self-assembly of crystallized silk fibroin (SF) droplets. The formation of self-assembled SF fibers is a process of coalesced droplets sprouting to form a branched fibrous network, which is similar to the development of capillaries in our body. The as-assembled hierarchical SF fibers are highly bioactive and can significantly enhance the spreading and growth of human umbilical vein endothelial cells compared to the natural SF fibers. This work could help to understand the natural silk spinning process of spiders and provides a strategy for design and development of advanced fibrous biomaterials for various applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Linpeng Fan & Jing-Liang Li & Zengxiao Cai & Xungai Wang, 2021. "Bioactive hierarchical silk fibers created by bioinspired self-assembly," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-22673-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22673-4
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    Cited by:

    1. D. Eliaz & S. Paul & D. Benyamin & A. Cernescu & S. R. Cohen & I. Rosenhek-Goldian & O. Brookstein & M. E. Miali & A. Solomonov & M. Greenblatt & Y. Levy & U. Raviv & A. Barth & U. Shimanovich, 2022. "Micro and nano-scale compartments guide the structural transition of silk protein monomers into silk fibers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Maobin Xie & Liming Lian & Xuan Mu & Zeyu Luo & Carlos Ezio Garciamendez-Mijares & Zhenrui Zhang & Arturo López & Jennifer Manríquez & Xiao Kuang & Junqi Wu & Jugal Kishore Sahoo & Federico Zertuche G, 2023. "Volumetric additive manufacturing of pristine silk-based (bio)inks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-17, December.

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