Biosilica-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) nanofibers: A step closer to bioprinted materials with tunable properties

Muller and co-workers have shown an innovative approach that combines electrospinning of synthetic materials to form electrospun poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofiber mats [1]. It is possible to use the PCL nanofibers mats to enzymatically biopolymerize silica. Silicon is known to improve bone matrix mineralization [2], Muller et al. [1], show that by using silicatein it is possible to enhance silicon's natural bone-inducing properties by in situ silica biopolymerization of tetraethyl othosilicate (TEOS), which is already present in the fiber, and using hydrolyzed TEOS as precursor.