Imaging the Morphological Structure of Silk Fibroin Constructs through Fluorescence Energy Transfer and Confocal Microscopy

Silk fibroin is a well-known biopolymer that used in several applications which interactions with biological tissue are required. Fibroin extremely versatile and can be shaped to form constructs useful engineering applications. Confocal imaging usually performed test cell behavior on construct, and, this context, the intrinsic fluorescence regarded as problem. In addition, not intense enough provide morphological images. fact, study construct’s morphology, other techniques (i.e., SEM Micro-CT). work, we propose method based energy transfer (FRET) suppress move it higher wavelength accessible confocal microscopy for direct imaging. This was done by creating two FRET couples dispersing fluorophores (2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO) Lumogen F Violet 570 (LV)) into matrix optimizing their percentages fluorescence. With optimized composition, produced an electrospun mat, dimensions of fibers were accurately determined microscopy.