Abstract
This comprehensive review discusses the exceptional mechanical and biological properties of the Bombyx mori silkworm's silk fibroin (SF) and its potential for biomedical applications. It focuses on the recent interest in using SF in 3D bioprinting for tissue engineering and provides an overview of advancements in this area. The review covers topics such as fabrication techniques, properties of SF-based bioinks, scaffold design, and applications in tissue engineering fields like bone, cartilage, skin, nerve, and vascular tissue regeneration. It also addresses future challenges and directions, including improving printing resolution and developing new silk-based biomaterials or their combination with other hydrogels.
Graphical abstract