Silk Fibroin Microparticle/Carboxymethyl Cellulose Composite Gel for Wound Healing Applications

Silk fibroin has recently gained considerable attention as a promising biomaterial for use in medical and bioengineering technologies due to its biocompatibility and favorable mechanical properties. In this study, composite gel based on silk fibroin microparticles and carboxymethyl cellulose was dev...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alexander Pashutin, Ekaterina Podbolotova, Luidmila Kirsanova, Onur Dosi, Anton E. Efimov, Olga Agapova, Igor Agapov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Biomimetics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/7/434
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849734113472282624
author Alexander Pashutin
Ekaterina Podbolotova
Luidmila Kirsanova
Onur Dosi
Anton E. Efimov
Olga Agapova
Igor Agapov
author_facet Alexander Pashutin
Ekaterina Podbolotova
Luidmila Kirsanova
Onur Dosi
Anton E. Efimov
Olga Agapova
Igor Agapov
author_sort Alexander Pashutin
collection DOAJ
description Silk fibroin has recently gained considerable attention as a promising biomaterial for use in medical and bioengineering technologies due to its biocompatibility and favorable mechanical properties. In this study, composite gel based on silk fibroin microparticles and carboxymethyl cellulose was developed, characterized by a viscous, homogeneous white mass containing uniformly distributed fibroin microparticles ranging from 1 to 20 μm in size. The gel exhibited a kinematic viscosity of 36.5 × 10<sup>−6</sup> St, allowing for convenient application to wounds using a syringe or spatula while preventing uncontrolled spreading. The cytocompatibility of the gel was confirmed using the methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay, which showed no cytotoxic effects on 3T3 fibroblast cells. Furthermore, the gel remained stable for over one year when stored at 10 °C, in contrast to conventional fibroin solutions, which typically lose stability within a month under similar conditions. In a full-thickness skin wound model in rats, the application of the gel significantly accelerated skin regeneration, with complete wound closure observed by day 15, compared with 30 days in the control group. Histological analysis confirmed the restoration of all skin layers. These findings demonstrate the high potential of the gel for applications in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
format Article
id doaj-art-1cff42e0f0744ee299fdb466a370daad
institution DOAJ
issn 2313-7673
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Biomimetics
spelling doaj-art-1cff42e0f0744ee299fdb466a370daad2025-08-20T03:07:54ZengMDPI AGBiomimetics2313-76732025-07-0110743410.3390/biomimetics10070434Silk Fibroin Microparticle/Carboxymethyl Cellulose Composite Gel for Wound Healing ApplicationsAlexander Pashutin0Ekaterina Podbolotova1Luidmila Kirsanova2Onur Dosi3Anton E. Efimov4Olga Agapova5Igor Agapov6Academician V.I. Shumakov National Medical Research Center of Transplantology and Artificial Organs, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123182 Moscow, RussiaAcademician V.I. Shumakov National Medical Research Center of Transplantology and Artificial Organs, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123182 Moscow, RussiaAcademician V.I. Shumakov National Medical Research Center of Transplantology and Artificial Organs, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123182 Moscow, RussiaAcademician V.I. Shumakov National Medical Research Center of Transplantology and Artificial Organs, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123182 Moscow, RussiaAcademician V.I. Shumakov National Medical Research Center of Transplantology and Artificial Organs, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123182 Moscow, RussiaAcademician V.I. Shumakov National Medical Research Center of Transplantology and Artificial Organs, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123182 Moscow, RussiaAcademician V.I. Shumakov National Medical Research Center of Transplantology and Artificial Organs, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 123182 Moscow, RussiaSilk fibroin has recently gained considerable attention as a promising biomaterial for use in medical and bioengineering technologies due to its biocompatibility and favorable mechanical properties. In this study, composite gel based on silk fibroin microparticles and carboxymethyl cellulose was developed, characterized by a viscous, homogeneous white mass containing uniformly distributed fibroin microparticles ranging from 1 to 20 μm in size. The gel exhibited a kinematic viscosity of 36.5 × 10<sup>−6</sup> St, allowing for convenient application to wounds using a syringe or spatula while preventing uncontrolled spreading. The cytocompatibility of the gel was confirmed using the methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay, which showed no cytotoxic effects on 3T3 fibroblast cells. Furthermore, the gel remained stable for over one year when stored at 10 °C, in contrast to conventional fibroin solutions, which typically lose stability within a month under similar conditions. In a full-thickness skin wound model in rats, the application of the gel significantly accelerated skin regeneration, with complete wound closure observed by day 15, compared with 30 days in the control group. Histological analysis confirmed the restoration of all skin layers. These findings demonstrate the high potential of the gel for applications in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/7/434silk fibroin microparticlescarboxymethyl cellulosecomposite hydrogelwound healingcytocompatibility
spellingShingle Alexander Pashutin
Ekaterina Podbolotova
Luidmila Kirsanova
Onur Dosi
Anton E. Efimov
Olga Agapova
Igor Agapov
Silk Fibroin Microparticle/Carboxymethyl Cellulose Composite Gel for Wound Healing Applications
Biomimetics
silk fibroin microparticles
carboxymethyl cellulose
composite hydrogel
wound healing
cytocompatibility
title Silk Fibroin Microparticle/Carboxymethyl Cellulose Composite Gel for Wound Healing Applications
title_full Silk Fibroin Microparticle/Carboxymethyl Cellulose Composite Gel for Wound Healing Applications
title_fullStr Silk Fibroin Microparticle/Carboxymethyl Cellulose Composite Gel for Wound Healing Applications
title_full_unstemmed Silk Fibroin Microparticle/Carboxymethyl Cellulose Composite Gel for Wound Healing Applications
title_short Silk Fibroin Microparticle/Carboxymethyl Cellulose Composite Gel for Wound Healing Applications
title_sort silk fibroin microparticle carboxymethyl cellulose composite gel for wound healing applications
topic silk fibroin microparticles
carboxymethyl cellulose
composite hydrogel
wound healing
cytocompatibility
url https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/7/434
work_keys_str_mv AT alexanderpashutin silkfibroinmicroparticlecarboxymethylcellulosecompositegelforwoundhealingapplications
AT ekaterinapodbolotova silkfibroinmicroparticlecarboxymethylcellulosecompositegelforwoundhealingapplications
AT luidmilakirsanova silkfibroinmicroparticlecarboxymethylcellulosecompositegelforwoundhealingapplications
AT onurdosi silkfibroinmicroparticlecarboxymethylcellulosecompositegelforwoundhealingapplications
AT antoneefimov silkfibroinmicroparticlecarboxymethylcellulosecompositegelforwoundhealingapplications
AT olgaagapova silkfibroinmicroparticlecarboxymethylcellulosecompositegelforwoundhealingapplications
AT igoragapov silkfibroinmicroparticlecarboxymethylcellulosecompositegelforwoundhealingapplications