Harmonizing Thickness And Permeability in Bone Tissue Engineering: A Novel Silk Fibroin Membrane Inspired by Spider Silk Dynamics.

Guided bone regeneration (GBR) gathers significant interest in the realm of bone tissue engineering; however, the interplay between membrane thickness and permeability continues to pose a challenge which can be addressed by the water-collecting mechanism of spider silk, where water droplets efficiently move from smooth filaments to rough conical nodules. Inspired by the natural design of spider silk, we develop an innovative silk fibroin membrane featuring directional fluid transportation via harmoniously integrating a smooth, dense layer with a rough, loose layer; conical microchannels are engineered in the smooth and compact layer. Consequently, double-layered membrane with cone-shaped microporous passageways (CSMP-DSF membrane) are designed for in situ bone repair. Through extensive in vitro testing, we note that the CSMP-DSF membrane guides liquid flow from the the compact layer's surface to the loose layer, enabling rapid diffusion. Remarkably, the CSMP-DSF membrane demonstrate superior mechanical properties, resistance to bacterial adhesion. When apply in vivo, the CSMP-DSF membrane achieve results on par with the commercial Bio-Gide collagen membranes. This innovative integration of a cross-thickness wetting gradient structure offers a novel solution, harmonizing the often conflicting requirements of material transport, mechanical strength, and barrier effectiveness, while also addressing issues relate to tissue engineering scaffold perfusion. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.