earticle

영어

Silk fibroin is an insoluble structural protein from Bombyx mori. It can be regenerated as a fibroin solution to form a variety of biomaterials, such as gels, sponges and films, for medical applications [1]. Fibroin microsphere has been suggested as a platform for controlled drug
delivery [2]. In this report, submicron scale microspheres was prepared by W/O emulsion method using sorbitan monooleate (Span80), polyoxyethylene 20 sorbitan monooleate (Tween80), decane and fibroin solution. The capsules were spherical in shape as determined
by SEM with diameters in the range of 200 nm to 1200 nm, depending on the homogenization rate of W/O emulsion. Hydrophilic materials can be encapsulated by dissolving them in the fibroin solution and subsequent emulsification. Dextran and FITC-dextran were efficiently encapsulated in the fibroin microcapsule. Their core-shell structure was identified by confocal microscopy. Because of its very mild conditions of fabrication, this method is potentially advantageous for
the encapsulation of heat-labile drugs such as proteins.