Microbes are spread over most of the surfaces we touch every day.
Most of the time these microbes congregate to become stacked on these surfaces in a way that is difficult to remove.
These pathogenic microbes also abound on the surfaces of medical equipment and devices.
For example, bacterial infection is a major cause of failure of many dental implants.
Therefore, scientists are always looking for new materials that can prevent infection and resist the concentration of these microbes on their surfaces.
Spider silk .. natural traps
Researchers at the University of Bayreuth in Germany have developed new biomaterials that can prevent infection and aid in recovery and recovery.
A recent study published in Materials Today on August 17th, was able to take advantage of the properties of these materials - closely related to biomedicine - to prevent microbes from settling and spreading on the surfaces of medical devices.
These advanced nanostructured materials are based on spider silk proteins.
In addition to its ability to prevent bacteria and fungi colonies from forming, it also helps to proactively regenerate human tissue, making it an ideal model that we can use in medical implants, wound dressings, prosthetics and contact lenses.
Complex and thick agglutinations of biofilms of bacteria on surfaces (Rodney Donlan-Wikipedia)
Pathogenic microbial aggregates
Infection is universally underestimated.
For example, many microbes are spread on the surfaces of instruments used in medical treatment, as well as on the surfaces around us in general.
Over time, these microorganisms form complex, thick and often invisible agglomerations known as biofilms or biofilms.
Even if we use cleaning agents, these vital chips cannot be easily removed.
These microbes are often resistant to antibiotics and antifungals.
Then these bacteria and fungi migrate to the vital tissues next to them, affecting the healing process or causing a fatal infection.
The upgraded substance (right) prevents bacterial aggregates from forming (uricart)
By adopting a new research approach, University of Bayreuth scientists have found a solution to this problem using biologically produced spider silk proteins, from which scientists have developed a substance that prevents pathogenic microbes from attaching to surfaces.
When testing the substance developed on Streptococci - known to be resistant to many antibacterials - scientists noticed the inability of these bacteria to cling to the surface of this substance.
Consequently, this may limit the formation of microbial chips on the surfaces of medical instruments, sports equipment, contact lenses, prosthetics and other surfaces that we frequently touch in our daily life.
Promising applications
Not only that, but this material has been designed to help anchor and spread the cells of human tissue on its surface.
It can therefore be used as wound dressings, as skin replacements, as well as in medical implants.
In contrast to other materials used for tissue regeneration, this improved substance essentially eliminates the risk of infection.
Hence, it can be used as a proactive tool to regenerate damaged tissues, opening up promising prospects for use as anti-bacterial coatings in many medical technologies and devices in the near future.
The developed material may be used as anti-bacterial coatings in medical devices (Pixabay).
Commenting on the results of this study, Thomas Scheibel - head of the biomaterials department at the University of Bayreuth and the leader of the study team - stated in the press release published on the university's website, saying, "The effect of this developed substance is not based on causing toxicity or any destructive effects on human cells."
"Instead, their nanoscale structure made them repellant surfaces for microbes. So it is difficult for pathogens to stick to these nanoscale surfaces," he added.
Dr Gregor Lange, Senior Research Associate, adds that "Nature continues to be a source of inspiration for designing highly sophisticated materials. Natural spider silk is resistant to microbial outbreaks. So reproducing these properties is a scientific precedent."