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Regenerated Silk Fibroin Nanofibers: Water Vapor‐Induced Structural Changes and Their Effects on the Behavior of Normal Human Cells
Author(s) -
Min ByungMoo,
Jeong Lim,
Lee Kuen Yong,
Park Won Ho
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
macromolecular bioscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.924
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1616-5195
pISSN - 1616-5187
DOI - 10.1002/mabi.200500246
Subject(s) - fibroin , nanofiber , electrospinning , random coil , chemical engineering , water vapor , materials science , polymer chemistry , tissue engineering , silk , solubility , chemistry , nanotechnology , composite material , polymer , organic chemistry , biomedical engineering , circular dichroism , stereochemistry , medicine , engineering
Summary: Nanofibrous non‐woven matrices were prepared by electrospinning a regenerated silk fibroin (SF) solution, and the structural changes of SF nanofibers treated with water vapor were investigated using time‐resolved IR and 13 C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy. Conformational transitions of SF from random coil to β ‐sheet structures were induced by water vapor treatment and were strongly dependent on the treatment time and temperature. Water vapor treatment provided a useful means of stabilizing the SF nanofiber matrices, resulting in the formation of matrices with a decreased solubility in water and increased mechanical strength. The adhesion and spreading of both normal human keratinocytes and fibroblasts onto the SF nanofiber matrices were also investigated, and the water vapor‐treated SF nanofiber matrices showed good cellular compatibility, in comparison with traditional methanol‐treated ones. This approach to controlling the conformational changes of SF nanofibers by water vapor treatment may be useful in the design and tailoring of novel materials for biomedical applications, including wound dressings and scaffolds for tissue engineering.Scanning electron microscopic pictures of water vapor‐treated SF nanofibers.