Spongins: nanostructural investigations and development of biominimetic material model

摘要

Natural structural biomaterials provide an abundant source of novel bone and cartilage replacements and initiate the investigations for development of nano-sized biomimetic composites. Sponges (Porifera) are presently gaining increased scientific attention because of their secondary metabolites and specific skeleton structures. Unique and innovative structural leads are discovered with cytotoxic, antifouling, antitumoral, antibiotic, antiviral or cyto-protective, enzyme-inhibitory, anti-inflammatory and anti-Alzheimer activities /1/. Sponge collagen easily forms nanoparticles useful as drug carrier systems /2/. Crookewitt first pointed out in 1843 that the endoskeleton of the common bath sponge is derived from the dermal (horny) layer and called him spongin /3/. Till now spongin (named also fibrous skeleton, pseudokeratin, neurokeratin, horny protein, collagen-like protein, scleroprotein) has no clear chemical definition.