Engineered Spider Silk Living e‐Suture

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Authors: Bixia Zhou, Ding Yujie, X Q Li, Tong Wu, Bin Wu, Bingbing Gao, Bingfang He, Chwee Teck Lim
Cited by: 1
References: 57

Abstract

ABSTRACT Conventional sutures provide passive mechanical closure but lack active therapeutic functions, often resulting in delayed healing and excessive scarring. Here, we report a bioresorbable living electronic suture that integrates mechanically robust spider silk protein (spidroin) with liquid metal, enabling near‐infrared–triggered contractile actuation, triboelectric energy harvesting, and microfluidic‐guided drug delivery within a single filament. Mechanical training during post‐spinning processing enhances tensile strength (>115 MPa) and structural stability, while surface microcolumn imprinting improves interfacial conductivity and programs directional capillary transport. The resulting fiber converts tissue motion into localized electric fields for real‐time wound sensing, and surface microstructures enable programmable microfluidic transport and drug delivery. Owing to the intrinsic biodegradability and biocompatibility of spidroin, the suture gradually resorbs during tissue regeneration. In vivo murine studies demonstrate accelerated and higher quality wound repair, with scar area reduced by 58.3% compared with commercial sutures. Collectively, this work establishes a scalable strategy for converting structural protein fibers into multifunctional bioelectronic sutures, advancing next‐generation smart wound care.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Silk-based biomaterials and applications 3D Printing in Biomedical Research Surface Modification and Superhydrophobicity

Publication details

Journal / source
Advanced Functional Materials
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
36
Issue
51
Publication date
1 June 2026
Language
EN