Nanotechnological intervention in the preparation of biomaterials from fibrous proteins

Abstract

Nanofibers are One-Dimensional (1-D) nanomaterials that play a significant role in wound care and management due to their higher surface area, porosity and better gas permeation than other commonly used wound dressing materials such as films and sponges. These properties enable the nanofibers to promote skin regeneration, moisture retention and removal of wound exudates, thereby accelerating wound healing. Nanofibers can be made from a wide range of sources including natural and synthetic polymers. Among the natural polymers, fibrous proteins like collagen and silk fibroin play a major role in skin tissue engineering. The primary feature of fibrous proteins that distinguishes them as unique biomaterials is their highly repetitive amino acid sequence, which enables them to perform most of the architectural and mechanical functions in nature. newlineThis thesis focuses on the preparation of nanofibers from fibrous proteins viz. collagen and silk by electrospinning for wound healing applications. Wound healing comprises of three major phases viz., inflammation, proliferation and remodelling, all of which involve multiple cell types and signaling molecules. During the inflammation phase, inflammatory cells produce Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) to protect the wound from the invading microbes. However, excessive reactive oxygen species present at the wound site has negative effects on cells such as fibroblasts, which play an important role in the healing process thereby delaying the wound healing. Antioxidants play an important role in accelerating wound healing by removing reactive oxygen species produced during the inflammation phase. newline