Abstract

Silk sericin is a natural polymer produced by silkworm Bombyx mori; which has the function of covering the fibroin filaments so that they remain linked together as well as maintaining the structural integrity of the cocoon. Despite its properties and benefits, sericin is currently discarded during textile production as it is considered a side product of silk cocoons during the degumming process. Among the most important biological properties of sericin are good oxygen permeability, moisture-regulating capacity, resistance to UV radiation, ability to promotes cell growth, biocompatibility and mitogenic effect. All these characteristics make sericin a promising polymer to be used in biomedical applications, especially in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Some studies report that sericin favors the biological nature of keratinocytes and fibroblasts, potentializing it as a biomaterial for the repair of epithelial tissue, mainly utilized as wound dressing. Given the importance that sericin can have in the field of bioengineering, and that its use can favor the sericulture agroindustry, this manuscript reviews recent studies of this protein for its application in tissue engineering, specifically for cutaneous regeneration.

• Highlights

• Research on SS represents a promising and developing field.

• SS decreases cell adhesion and favors the proliferation of keratinocytes and fibroblasts.

• SS has been shown to have a mitogenic effect in some mammalian cells.

• SS can be crosslinked, copolymerized, and mixed with other polymers.

摘要

丝胶是家蚕Bombyx mori产生的一种天然聚合物; 它具有覆盖丝素丝的功能，使它们保持连接在一起，并保持茧的结构完整性。尽管丝胶具有其特性和优点，但目前在纺织品生产过程中被丢弃，因为它被认为是脱胶过程中蚕茧的副产品。丝胶最重要的生物学特性包括良好的透氧性、水分调节能力、抗紫外线辐射、促进细胞生长的能力、生物相容性和促有丝分裂作用。所有这些特性使丝胶成为一种有前途的聚合物，可用于生物医学应用，尤其是组织工程和再生医学。一些研究报告说，丝胶有利于角质形成细胞和成纤维细胞的生物学特性，有望将其作为修复上皮组织的生物材料，主要用作伤口敷料。鉴于丝胶在生物工程领域的重要性，并且它的使用有利于养蚕业，本手稿回顾了最近对这种蛋白质在组织工程中的应用的研究，特别是在皮肤再生方面的应用。

• 强调

• 对 SS 的研究代表了一个有前途和发展中的领域。

• SS 减少细胞粘附并有利于角质形成细胞和成纤维细胞的增殖。

• SS 已被证明在一些哺乳动物细胞中具有促有丝分裂作用。

• SS 可以交联、共聚并与其他聚合物混合。