Photocrosslinkable Silk-Based Biomaterials for Regenerative Medicine and Healthcare Applications

• Published in: Regenerative engineering and translational medicine 2023-06, Vol.9 (2), p.181-201
• Main Authors: Dey, Souradeep, Jaiswal, Chitra, Shome, Sayanti, Bhar, Bibrita, Bandyopadhyay, Ashutosh, Manikumar, Kodieswaran, Dadheech, Rajat, Mandal, Biman B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biocompatibility; Bioelectricity; Biomaterials; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biomedical materials; Biopolymers; Chemistry and Materials Science; Formulations; Health care; In Honor of Robert Langer's 70th Birthday – Vol. 2; Materials Science; Medical electronics; Polymer blends; Polymer matrix composites; Polymers; Regeneration (physiology); Regenerative medicine; Regenerative Medicine/Tissue Engineering; Review; Silk; Soft tissues; Synthesis; Tissue engineering
• ISSN: 2364-4133; 2364-4141
• DOI: 10.1007/s40883-022-00277-8

Purpose Photocrosslinkable biopolymers have emerged as the foremost contenders for concocting formulations involving biomedical applications. This is majorly attributed to their aptness in processing, facile applicability, and wide range of available options. Silk, being highly biocompatible, minimally immunogenic and vastly tunable, has become a potential biomaterial in its photopolymerizable form as well as in the form of blends with other photocurable polymers in the abovementioned domains. Hence, a comprehensive review on the synthesis, formulation, and advancements made in the application of silk-based photocrosslinkable formulations is necessitated in the current scenario. Methods The review begins with an introduction on the present-day status of photocrosslinkable polymers and their application areas. Furthermore, the review engages with the use of silk as a photocrosslinkable biomaterial including the synthesis of its various forms. The review progresses to discuss the applications of silk-based photopolymerizing biomaterial composites in the fields of tissue engineering and other allied healthcare applications. Results Silk as a photocrosslinkable polymer and its blend with other photocrosslinkable polymers are a major boon in the fields of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and other allied healthcare applications where biocompatibility, ease of processing, and tunability are hampered due to various factors. Therefore, it is apt to prefer silk-based photocrosslinkable blends for regeneration of tissues and organs, drug delivery, and bioelectronic applications. Conclusions Future applications of silk-based photocrosslinkable blends hold great promise in the field of biomedical and healthcare applications and will gain more traction in solving the current research problems of the abovementioned fields. Lay Summary The review article elucidates the various kinds of photocrosslinkable silk-based polymer composites with descriptions of instances of both silk as the photocrosslinkable component and silk blended with other photocrosslinkable polymers. The applications of the same have been discussed comprehensively in the fields of tissue engineering of both hard and soft tissues as well as in the development of drug delivery vehicles and modalities and bioelectronics. Significant progress has been made in the use of silk as a photocrosslinkable biopolymer or as a part of such composites, which holds promising potential for devising patient-ori