Harnessing the Potential of Spider Silk Proteins for Biomedical Applications: from Native Silk Fibers to Designed Bioactive Materials

Abstract

Spider silk has only been used anecdotally throughout human history, owing to limited supply from natural sources and recalcitrance toward biochemical functionalization. Recent advances in materials synthetic biology have ameliorated the challenges of mass-producing spider silk and have thus paved the way for reengineering and redesigning these materials for real-world applications. Here, an update is presented on the development of biomaterials comprising spider silk proteins within the past five years and the respective chemical and genetic approaches behind these developments. Potential applications are further highlighted in areas such as 3-dimension (3D) cell culturing, drug delivery, theranostics, wound healing, tissue engineering, anti-infection, and so on. By providing some glimpses into the latest innovations centered around spider silk proteins, as well as the challenges facing their biomedical applications, it is hoped that this will inspire more translational studies of these materials for real-world impact.