[News] Silk the key to rebuilding bone

[Michaelangelica]

Silk the key to rebuilding bone (ABC News in Science)

. . .spider and silkworm silks are among the strongest natural fibres in existence, and have incredible properties.

 

"When you look at the mechanical properties of single fibre silks, they are remarkable in terms of tension and compression," says Kaplan.

 

Silk has the added advantage of being bio-compatible, so it can be used in humans. He says it has already been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in early human clinical trials.

 

It is also extremely stable, as it has to survive in the natural environment, and does not breakdown at high temperatures, Kaplan says.