The silk structural protein fibroin displays potential for use in tissue engineering. We present here our
opinion of its value as a biomaterial for reconstructing tissues of clinical significance within the human eye.
We review the strengths and weaknesses of using fibroin in those parts of the eye that we believe are most
amenable to cellular reconstruction,namely the corneoscleral limbus, corneal stroma, corneal endothelium
and outer blood-retinal barrier (Ruysch’s complex). In these areas we find that by employing the range of
manufacturing products afforded by fibroin, relevant structural assemblies can be made for cells expanded
ex vivo. Significant questions now need to be answered concerning the effect of this biomaterial on the
phenotype of key cell types and the biocompatibility of fibroin within the eye. We conclude that fibroin’s
strength, structural versatility and potential for modification, combined with the relative simplicity of
associated manufacturing processes, make fibroin a worthy candidate for further exploration.
The silk structural protein fibroin displays potential for use in tissue engineering. We present here our
opinion of its value as a biomaterial for reconstructing tissues of clinical significance within the human eye.
We review the strengths and weaknesses of using fibroin in those parts of the eye that we believe are most
amenable to cellular reconstruction,namely the corneoscleral limbus, corneal stroma, corneal endothelium
and outer blood-retinal barrier (Ruysch’s complex). In these areas we find that by employing the range of
manufacturing products afforded by fibroin, relevant structural assemblies can be made for cells expanded
ex vivo. Significant questions now need to be answered concerning the effect of this biomaterial on the
phenotype of key cell types and the biocompatibility of fibroin within the eye. We conclude that fibroin’s
strength, structural versatility and potential for modification, combined with the relative simplicity of
associated manufacturing processes, make fibroin a worthy candidate for further exploration.
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