Biomimetic spinning of silk fibers and in situ cell encapsulation

Lab Chip. 2016 Jul 5;16(14):2654-61. doi: 10.1039/c6lc00488a.

Abstract

In situ embedding of sensitive materials (e.g., cells and proteins) in silk fibers without damage presents a significant challenge due to the lack of mild and efficient methods. Here, we report the development of a microfluidic chip-based method for preparation of meter-long silk fibroin (SF) hydrogel fibers by mimicking the silkworm-spinning process. For the spinning of SF fibers, alginate was used as a sericin-like material to induce SF phase separation and entrap liquid SFs, making it possible to shape the outline of SF-based fibers under mild physicochemical conditions. L929 fibroblasts were encapsulated in the fibric hydrogel and displayed excellent viability. Cell-laden SF fibric hydrogels prepared using our method offer a new type of SF-based biomedical device with potential utility in biomedicine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alginates / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Biomimetics / instrumentation
  • Biomimetics / methods*
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival
  • Fibroblasts
  • Fibroins / chemistry
  • Glucuronic Acid / chemistry
  • Hexuronic Acids / chemistry
  • Hydrogels / chemical synthesis
  • Hydrogels / chemistry*
  • Lab-On-A-Chip Devices
  • Mice
  • Micelles
  • Silk / chemistry*

Substances

  • Alginates
  • Hexuronic Acids
  • Hydrogels
  • Micelles
  • Silk
  • Glucuronic Acid
  • Fibroins