Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

© 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Numerous conditions of the musculoskeletal system can be solved or relieved by the use of engineered tissues. Silk is extraordinary in its versatility, slow degradation rate, and incredible mechanical properties, and, thus, a large number of studies proposed it as a candidate scaffold for repairing failing tissues. Many in vitro and in vivo studies have investigated silk as a scaffold for musculoskeletal regeneration, with promising results. Despite these positive studies, there is still very little information available regarding current clinical trials of silk implants. The aim of this article is to evaluate the feasibility and requirements for translating silk studies in the laboratory and animal models to clinical trials. The first part of this article briefly summarizes relevant past studies of silk for skeletal tissue engineering, and the second part evaluates findings from past studies in the context of medical implant assessment and safety, and highlight aspects which merit further research. Overall, the article compares and calls attention to the differences between novel scaffolds of regenerated silk fibroin, native, degummed silk scaffolds, and the traditional dyed Bombyx mori silk sutures.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/B978-0-08-088504-9.00435-9

Type

Chapter

Book title

Comprehensive Biotechnology, Second Edition

Publication Date

09/09/2011

Volume

5

Pages

341 - 351