(262a) Invited Talk: Considerations for in Vitro versus In Vivo Biomaterial Formulations That Drive Cell and Tissue Functions: A Story of Silk Fibroin-Based Biomaterials

Evaluation of cell behavior within biomaterials can be accomplished in many ways- including assessment of gene or protein expression, assessment of cell functions (e.g., contraction), assessment of cell phenotypes (e.g., polarization), evaluation of multicellular systems or cell-cell communication, or evaluation in vivo. Each of these assessments can provide insight into the biomaterial's function and potential success for a given application. However, anecdotally, we know that the requirements for a material that can support formation of model systems in vitro for fundamental studies should be different than those formulated for in vivo applications. In this talk, we will explore the wide range of properties achievable with silk fibroin-based biomaterials and how these properties can be leveraged for applications in formation of long-term in vitro culture systems and support cell functions. These properties will be discussed in contrast to the requirements for in vivo applications through short stories with both silk fibroin-based hydrogel systems and silk fibroin-based sponge systems.