Silk fibroin-based cryogels for skin wound healing: physicochemical design, mechanistic insights, and translational perspectives
摘要
Silk fibroin (SF)-based cryogels have emerged as advanced biomaterials for skin wound healing due to their unique physicochemical and biological properties. Their interconnected macroporous structure, elasticity, and shape–memory behavior enable efficient oxygen transport, cell infiltration, and tissue remodeling. Compared with traditional hydrogels, sponges, and scaffolds, SF cryogels exhibit superior permeability, compressive resilience, and tunable degradation, providing a dynamic 3D microenvironment for angiogenesis, immunomodulation, and epithelial regeneration. This review critically summarizes current fabrication strategies, structure–function relationships, and mechanisms of SF-based cryogels in skin repair. It further highlights translational challenges and opportunities toward clinically viable multifunctional cryogel dressings for efficient wound healing.