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Silk-Based Materials for Hard Tissue Engineering.

Vanessa J NeubauerAnnika DöblThomas R Scheibel
Published in: Materials (Basel, Switzerland) (2021)
Hard tissues, e.g., bone, are mechanically stiff and, most typically, mineralized. To design scaffolds for hard tissue regeneration, mechanical, physico-chemical and biological cues must align with those found in the natural tissue. Combining these aspects poses challenges for material and construct design. Silk-based materials are promising for bone tissue regeneration as they fulfill several of such necessary requirements, and they are non-toxic and biodegradable. They can be processed into a variety of morphologies such as hydrogels, particles and fibers and can be mineralized. Therefore, silk-based materials are versatile candidates for biomedical applications in the field of hard tissue engineering. This review summarizes silk-based approaches for mineralized tissue replacements, and how to find the balance between sufficient material stiffness upon mineralization and cell survival upon attachment as well as nutrient supply.
Keyphrases
  • tissue engineering
  • bone regeneration
  • stem cells
  • bone mineral density
  • wound healing
  • soft tissue
  • postmenopausal women
  • bone loss