Berlin 2024 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 18: Biomaterials and Biopolymers (joint session BP/CPP)

BP 18.1: Hauptvortrag

Mittwoch, 20. März 2024, 09:30–10:00, H 1028

Production and applications of artificial spider silk fibers and hydrogels — •Anna Rising — Department of Anatomy Physiology and Biochemistry Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala 75007, Sweden — Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Neo, Huddinge 14183, Sweden

Spider silk, nature's high-performance fiber, represents an attractive material for many different applications. However, production of the spider silk proteins (spidroins) is problematic due to their repetitiveness and propensity to aggregate.

We have developed a E.coli based production method that generates unprecedented amounts of correctly folded and soluble spidroins. A biomimetic spinning method combined with a protein engineering strategy, result in artificial spider silk fibers that match the toughness of native spider silk. The fibers have successfully been used to guide the extension of neurites in cell culture assays.

In addition, we have discovered that the recombinant spidroins rapidly form self-supporting and transparent hydrogels when incubated at 37 °C. The gelation is associated with the formation of nano-sized fibrils, and spidroin fusion proteins form hydrogels with intact functions of the fusion moieties. By varying the protein concentration, the compressive modulus of the hydrogels can be tuned to match that of skeletal muscle, myocardium and cartilage, respectively. In addition, human mesenchymal stem cells are viable after being encapsulated in the gels, and continuous release of biologics can be achieved as exemplified by an encapsulated cell line producing progranulin.

Keywords: spider silk; fiber; hydrogel; biomimetics; biomaterial