Get ready to breathe new life into your Halloween decorations with a modern twist on classic spider silk. Forget the traditional polyester webs—scientists have developed a groundbreaking synthetic silk that not only mimics the strength of spider silk but also possesses remarkable healing properties. Imagine using this innovative material for bandages that effectively treat joint injuries and skin lesions in mice.
Spider silk is renowned for its incredible strength, surpassing even that of steel at its size. However, obtaining it is no easy feat due to the territorial and cannibalistic nature of spiders. As a result, researchers have turned to synthetic alternatives. By modifying the natural protein sequence, scientists have succeeded in creating a spinnable and stable spider silk using microbes—a remarkable achievement in genetic engineering.
This new development promises to revolutionize the field of wound care and material science. With its persuasive blend of strength and healing capabilities, this artificial silk could pave the way for groundbreaking advancements in the medical industry and beyond.
The team ingeniously utilized microbes to produce silk proteins, enhancing them with extra peptides to create a remarkable breakthrough. By mimicking the natural sequence of amyloid polypeptides, they engineered the artificial silk proteins to form a structured and non-sticky solution, significantly increasing their yield.
Employing a 3D printer equipped with a multitude of tiny, hollow needles, the researchers spun the protein solution into thin strands in the air, weaving them into a substantial fiber. This process mimicked the actions of a giant artificial spider crafting its web.
Subsequently, the team fashioned the artificial silk fibers into prototype wound dressings and applied them to mice with osteoarthritis and chronic wounds caused by diabetes. These innovative dressings proved to enhance wound healing more effectively than traditional bandages, with the added benefit of easily incorporating drug treatments. Mice with osteoarthritis exhibited reduced swelling and improved tissue structure after just two weeks of treatment, while diabetic mice with skin lesions showed significant wound healing after 16 days of treatment.
The biocompatible and biodegradable nature of these novel silken bandages holds great promise for future applications in the field of medicine.
Journal reference:
- Baoyang Lin, Bingbing Gao, Meng Wei, Shuhuan Li, Qian Zhou, Bingfang He. Overexpressed Artificial Spidroin Based Microneedle Spinneret for 3D Air Spinning of Hybrid Spider Silk. ACS Nano, 2024; DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c08557
