{"id":2022,"date":"2022-05-03T10:30:13","date_gmt":"2022-05-03T10:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/horizon.peachpuff-wolverine-566518.hostingersite.com\/?p=2022"},"modified":"2022-05-03T10:30:14","modified_gmt":"2022-05-03T10:30:14","slug":"spinning-silk-into-next-generation-eye-and-knee-implants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2022\/spinning-silk-into-next-generation-eye-and-knee-implants\/","title":{"rendered":"Spinning silk into next-generation eye and knee implants"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For thousands of years, silk has been treasured for its qualities as a beautiful material for elegant garments. But scientists are harnessing the less obvious qualities of silk to develop versatile replacement parts for human eyes and knees.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The first word that comes to mind when you think of silk is probably not \u201cstrength\u201d, yet when it comes to toughness, pound-for-pound, smooth silk is\u00a0stronger than steel. Few materials in the world match the flexible fibre produced by the silkworm.<\/p>\n

\u2018Silk has immense potential to be developed into materials that have the same functional properties as healthy tissue, without any of the downsides of traditional implants,\u2019 said Dr Nick Skaer, chief executive of the UK-based biomedical company Orthox. \u2018I\u2019m confident that very soon \u2013 in the next few years \u2013 we\u2019ll be seeing some very large clinical needs being met by this versatile fibre.\u2019<\/p>\n

There are good reasons to turn silk into replacement parts for the human body. This \u201csuper-fibre\u201d is hard-wearing, highly elastic, is permeable to oxygen and water, biocompatible (is not rejected by the body when transplanted), stable and versatile (it can be engineered into a solid, a mesh or a gel). It is also able to block infection and supports the regeneration of new tissue.<\/p>\n

Weak at the knees<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr Skaer is part of\u00a0FibroFix Cartilage<\/a>, a research team focused on transforming silk into substitute knee cartilage. Clinical trials launch in Hungary and the UK later this year with the hope that the orthopaedic implants will soon be available to European patients.<\/p>\n

When knee cartilage is damaged, and people develop osteoarthritis (OA) they may be referred for knee replacement surgery (arthroplasty). The painful condition causes bones to rub together in the joints and reduces mobility. It\u2019s also a widespread issue, with Europeans facing a 45% chance of developing OA. The risk increases with age and weight. It\u2019s estimated to cost European countries over \u20ac7.2 billion and rising to treat OA every year.<\/p>\n

Knee-replacement surgery has reasonably good results but it\u2019s expensive, painful and recovery is long. It\u2019s also complex and not easily corrected if something goes wrong.\u00a0Silk-based implants offer a tantalising solution to these drawbacks.<\/p>\n

FibroFix is made entirely of silk protein (known as fibroin) which has almost identical mechanical properties to real cartilage. \u2018It\u2019s strong, it\u2019s slippery like cartilage and it deforms when you put pressure on it,\u2019 said Dr Skaer.<\/p>\n

Knee implants<\/strong><\/p>\n

Damaged cartilage is unable to repair itself easily and if left alone, a knee with cartilage damage will usually only get worse. The FibroFix researchers have developed a way to extract and purify fibrofin and mould it into a shape suitable to use as an implant.<\/p>\n

This is inserted into the knee in a dry, compressed state. It quickly fills with fluid from surrounding tissue which plumps it up to form a cushion-like barrier between bones.<\/p>\n

Critically, the porous material also supports tissue regeneration. The silk protein implant provides a scaffold for bone and connective tissue to grow on so that even slow-repairing cartilage begins to regenerate.<\/p>\n

The implant\u2019s benefits are two-fold. \u2018Once the implant is locked in place, you get the function of your missing cartilage back straight away, and you also get new natural tissue growing over time,\u2019 said Dr Skaer.<\/p>\n

Tests show the implant surgical procedure is quick, post-operative pain is minimal and recovery is straightforward. Dr Skaer hopes for positive results in the clinical trials. \u2018We expect people to be on their feet soon after surgery and back to work fast, which will be a big win for everyone,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n

Silky looking<\/strong><\/p>\n

Live long enough and the day will come when you need glasses. \u2018Presbyopia affects precisely 100% of the population over the age of 45,\u2019 said Susana Marcos, professor of research at Spain\u2019s Institute of Optics (CSIC) and the SILK-EYE principal investigator.<\/p>\n

The team working on\u00a0SILK-EYE<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 an EU-funded project head-quartered in Madrid\u2019s Spanish National Research Council \u2013\u00a0 have found a way to engineer the silk fibroin protein into a clear membrane that may one day be used to restore eyesight.<\/p>\n

Presbyopia is the inability to focus on nearby objects. The condition is caused by hardening of the lens and gets progressively worse with age. The standard treatment here is to invest in a pair of glasses or contact lenses. There is no treatment to restore the lost functionality of the young lens.<\/p>\n

The goal is to develop a silk-based implant that will replace the hardened lens in a simple surgical procedure. The new membrane will change shape as it\u2019s pulled by the eye muscles to focus on objects near and far.<\/p>\n

\u2018We\u2019re doing well with this project,\u2019 said Prof. Marcos. \u2018We\u2019ve developed the silk membranes and fine-tuned the material so it has the properties we desire. It\u2019s transparent, elastic, easy to work with, has the right thickness and the right levels of permeability.\u2019<\/p>\n

Holy Grail<\/strong><\/p>\n

More work is required but the researchers have a clear target in mind – Prof. Marcos calls it the Holy Grail of ophthalmology – restoring older eyes to the capability of their 20-year-old selves. \u2018It\u2019s on the mind of everyone in this field,\u2019 she said.
\nSilk-based corneal implants may also be used to replace vision-correction laser surgery.<\/p>\n

\u2018Laser surgery (such as LASIK) removes a part of the corneal tissue, so your cornea becomes thinner,\u2019 said Marcos. \u2018But surgery using silk would be additive \u2013 we\u2019d be adding the implant to what is already there, and therefore preserving tissue.\u2019<\/p>\n

Globally, millions of people become blind as a result of corneal injury. It is a major public health challenge. The SILK-EYE researchers are working on affordable, implants and corneal bandages to address the problem.<\/p>\n

The team has already had success fixing silk membranes onto the corneal surface using a light-enabled technique called photobonding \u2013 a technique that replaces the need for stitches.<\/p>\n

There is a financial cost to silk lens and corneal implant treatments, but \u2018We\u2019re hopeful that silk will be an affordable option for many people in Europe and around the world who are currently losing their sight from highly prevalent ocular conditions,\u2019 said Prof. Marcos.<\/p>\n

The research in this article was funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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But scientists are harnessing the less obvious qualities of silk to develop versatile replacement parts for human eyes and knees.   The first word that comes to mind when you think of silk is probably not \u201cstrength\u201d, … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":298,"featured_media":2023,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"yoast_head":"\nSpinning silk into next-generation eye and knee implants - Horizon Magazine Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2022\/spinning-silk-into-next-generation-eye-and-knee-implants\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Spinning silk into next-generation eye and knee implants\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For thousands of years, silk has been treasured for its qualities as a beautiful material for elegant garments. 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Researchers are now looking at how best to power these devices by turning to the user\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Earth, Energy & Environment"","block_context":{"text":"Earth, Energy & Environment","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/earth-energy-environment\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wearable electronics powered by the user's own body heat could help tackle the issue of how to storage energy. 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By \u00a0Sof\u00eda Manzanaro In\u00eas Alves Cerqueira of Portugal just spent five days in Brussels and left with a top EU prize for\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/09\/20.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/09\/20.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/09\/20.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/09\/20.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/09\/20.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/09\/20.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2469,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2469\/restoring-sight-to-the-blind-with-cutting-edge-brain-implants\/","url_meta":{"origin":2022,"position":2},"title":"Restoring sight to the blind with cutting-edge brain implants","author":"Horizon Magazine","date":"August 22, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"European researchers are striving to improve the technology that could one day help blind people see again. By\u00a0\u00a0ANTHONY KING Berna Gomez, a former science teacher from Spain, became a scientific subject herself in 2021. After being blind for 16 years, she took part in an experiment to restore her ability\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Brain & Behavior"","block_context":{"text":"Brain & Behavior","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/brain-behavior\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/08\/22-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/08\/22-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/08\/22-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/08\/22-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/08\/22-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/08\/22-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2176,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2176\/helping-the-body-and-brain-to-welcome-bionic-limbs-and-implants\/","url_meta":{"origin":2022,"position":3},"title":"Helping the body and brain to welcome bionic limbs and implants","author":"Horizon Magazine","date":"October 12, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Artificial limbs, implants and extra thumbs restore and add to our body\u2019s natural capabilities, but how do the brain and nervous system welcome these new body parts? By\u00a0GARETH WILLMER Not that long ago, the concept of the bionic human seemed far-fetched, but wearable robotic suits, brain-controlled extra limbs and mind-operated\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Health"","block_context":{"text":"Health","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/10\/12-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/10\/12-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/10\/12-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/10\/12-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/10\/12-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/10\/12-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2809,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2809\/silkworms-and-shrimp-may-help-regenerate-damaged-skin-and-bone\/","url_meta":{"origin":2022,"position":4},"title":"Silkworms and shrimp may help regenerate damaged skin and bone","author":"Horizon Magazine","date":"July 24, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"EU-funded researchers are exploring new nature-based solutions to stimulate skin and bone repair. 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For such a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Health"","block_context":{"text":"Health","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/07\/23.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/07\/23.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/07\/23.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/07\/23.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/07\/23.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/07\/23.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1202,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/1202\/the-prostheses-that-could-alleviate-amputees-phantom-limb-pain\/","url_meta":{"origin":2022,"position":5},"title":"The prostheses that could alleviate amputees\u2019 phantom limb pain","author":"Horizon Magazine","date":"March 19, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by\u00a0Ian Le Guillou New prosthetic technologies that stimulate the nerves could pave the way for prostheses that feel like a natural part of the body and reduce the phantom limb pain commonly endured by amputees. Silvestro Micera, a professor of translational neuroengineering at Ecole polytechnique f\u00e9d\u00e9rale de Lausanne in Switzerland,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Health"","block_context":{"text":"Health","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"When it comes to improving amputees\u2019 quality of life, one of the biggest challenges is making prostheses that feel like a natural part of the user. 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