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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Feb 1.
Published in final edited form as: Curr Urol Rep. 2016 Feb;17(2):16. doi: 10.1007/s11934-015-0567-x

Table 1.

Summary of Silk Fibroin Scaffold implementation in different Animal Models

Animal (n) Model Design Silk Scaffold Design Scaffold Size Results Ref
Murine (17) Bladder
Augmentation		 GSSF scaffold 1 cm2
  • -

    Urothelial and smooth muscle regeneration with minimal inflammation at 10 weeks

  • -

    Increased cystometric capacity and compliance in comparison to control

  • -

    Survival: 82%

 [77]
Rat (33) Bladder
Augmentation		 GSSF scaffold (n=25)
vs.
BLSF scaffold (n=8)		 0.7 × 0.7 cm2
  • -

    Comparable urothelial and smooth muscle regeneration with minimal inflammation at 10 weeks

  • -

    Calculi: GSSF: 73% BLSF: 20%

  • -

    Increased cystometric capacity and compliance in BLSF compared to control

  • -

    Survival: GSSF: 74% BLSF: 100%

 [79]
Rat (12) Neurogenic
Bladder
Secondary to
Thoracic Spinal
Cord Injury (SCI)		 BLSF scaffold 1 × 1 cm2
  • -

    Urothelial and smooth muscle regeneration present, but less compared to the non-augmented SCI group at 10 weeks

  • -

    Increased inflammatory reaction compared to non-diseased BLSF scaffold [79]

  • -

    Calculi: 69%

  • -

    No change in cystometric capacity and compliance in comparison to the non-augmented SCI group

  • -
    Survival: SCI Alone: 72%
    • SCI with BLSF: 75%
 [84]
Rat (30) Suburethral Sling
for Stress Urinary
Incontinence		 Woven SF mesh alone
(n=15) or seeded with
mesenchymal stem cells
(MSC, n=15)		 Not
quantified
  • -

    Leak point pressure in both SF mesh groups approaching control

  • -

    Increased collagen and failure force in the SF mesh seeded with MSCs

 [88]
Leporine (4) Ventral Onlay
Urethroplasty		 BLSF scaffold 1 × 2 cm2
  • -

    Epithelium, smooth muscle, innervation, and vascularization present at 3 months

  • -

    No urethral stricture or voiding dysfunction

  • -

    Survival: 100%

 [87]
Leporine (30) Bladder
Implantation		 Electrospun SF scaffold
assessed at 2, 4, and 8
weeks		 0.5 × 2 cm2
  • -

    Discontinuous or single layer urothelium at 2 weeks

  • -

    Multilayer urothelium at 4 and 8 weeks

  • -

    Calculi: 2 weeks: 70%; 4 and 8 weeks: 0%

  • -

    Survival: 100%

 [81]
Canine (11) Dorsal
Onlay Urethroplasty		 Electrospun SF scaffold
seeded with urothelial
cells (n=6)
or
buccal mucosa (n=5)		 3 × 1 cm2

5 × 1.5 cm2
  • -

    Multi-layer urothelium present at 6 months

  • -

    No urethral stricture or voiding dysfunction

  • -

    Survival: 100%

 [85]

[86]
Porcine (10) Bladder
Augmentation		 Two versions of BLSF:
Group 1: Surface pore
occlusions (n=6)
vs.
Group 2: Film casting
(n=4)		 6 × 6 cm2
  • -

    Comparable urothelial and smooth muscle regeneration across the entire scaffold with minimal inflammation at 3 months

  • -

    Calculi: Group 1: 20% Group 2: 75%

  • -

    Increase in cystometric capacity and compliance in both groups

  • -

    Better ultimate tensile strength in Group 2

  • -

    Survival: Group 1: 83% Group 2: 100%

 [80]

GSSF = Gel spun silk fibroin BLSF = Bi-layer silk fibroin SF = Silk Fibroin