Proliferation of mouse embryonic stem cells on substrate coated with intact silkworm sericin

Abstract

Sericin, which is derived from the outer layer of silk thread proteins of the common silkworm (Bombyx mori), functions as a glue to fix fibers of developing cocoons. Although sericin has potential uses in various fields, including tissue engineering, the biomedical applications of intact sericin have yet to be fully identified. We previously developed transgenic silkworms that produce cocoons solely composed of sericin, from which a solution of intact sericin can be readily prepared. Here, we examined the proliferation of embryonic stem (ES) cells cultivated on substrates coated with intact sericin. We found that undifferentiated ES cells could proliferate on substrates coated with intact sericin as efficiently as on substrates coated with gelatin. The proliferation of ES cells on the intact sericin coating was enhanced by an additional coating with an adhesion peptide derived from laminin. Moreover, the myocardial differentiation of ES cells on the sericin coating can be induced by the addition of recombinant mouse Noggin. These results indicate that intact sericin could be a potential candidate material for supporting ES cell proliferation and differentiation.