SILK FIBROIN HYDROGELS AND USES THEREOF
The present specification provides for methods for purifying fibroins, purified fibroins, methods of conjugating biological and synthetic molecules to fibroins, fibroins conjugated to such molecules, methods of making fibroin hydrogels, fibroin hydrogels and fibroin hydrogel formulations useful for a variety of medical uses, including, without limitation uses as bulking agents, tissue space fillers, templates for tissue reconstruction or regeneration, cell culture scaffolds for tissue engineering and for disease models, surface coating to improve medical device function, or drug delivery devices.
1 . A hydrogel comprising a substantially sericin-depleted silk fibroin, wherein the hydrogel is optically transparent.
2 . The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel comprises about 1% (w/v) to about 10% (w/v) of silk fibroin.
3 . The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel allows about 75% of the light to pass through.
4 . The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel comprises a protein structure having a β-sheet conformation of at least 20%.
5 . The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel comprises a protein structure having an α-helical and random coil conformation of at most 20%.
6 . A hydrogel comprising a substantially sericin-depleted silk fibroin, wherein the hydrogel is optically translucent.
7 . The hydrogel of claim 6 , wherein the hydrogel comprises about 1% (w/v) to about 10% (w/v) of silk fibroin.
8 . The hydrogel of claim 6 , wherein the hydrogel allows about 75% of the light to diffusely pass through.
9 . The hydrogel of claim 6 , wherein the hydrogel comprises a protein structure having a β-sheet conformation of at least 20%.
10 . The hydrogel of claim 6 , wherein the hydrogel comprises a protein structure having an α-helical and random coil conformation of at most 20%.