Silk fibroin (SF) from silkworms has special qualities, and these qualities have drawn a lot of interest lately in SF-based hydrogels for a range of biological applications. However, because there is a dearth of naïve silk materials to collect and prepare, research on the SF-based hydrogels isolated from spider silks has been rather limited. Thus, this study compared the microstructural properties of silk fibroin (SF) hydrogel scaffold, which was taken from the cocoon of the insect silkworm Bombyx mori, with those of hydrogel scaffolds derived from two types of woven silk glands in the orb-web spider Trichonephila clavata: the major ampullate gland (MAG) and the tubuliform gland (TG). The SF hydrogel, which is stabilized by connected SF fibers, has a loose top structure, high porosity, and translucency, according to our FESEM investigation. While the TG hydrogel showed greater porosity, ridge-like or wall-like structures, and stable biocapacity generated by physical cross-linking, the MAG hydrogel showed even higher porosity, elongated fibrous structures, and superior mechanical properties. It is anticipated that the unique microstructural properties of MAG and TG hydrogels will be advantageous when choosing customized substrates to support particular cell types for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.

In contrast to conventional silk fibroin, spider silk's potential as a scaffold material for tissue engineering is examined in this work. The remarkable qualities of spider silk are being researched for use in making films for tissue regeneration. In comparison to silk fibroin films, the study's analysis of orb-web spider Trichonephila clavata films highlights their improved cell adhesion and nanofibrous network structure. Tests for solubility substantiate the durability of spider silk films, while in vitro investigations demonstrate low cytotoxicity and enhance cellular viability. The conclusion highlights the exceptional properties of spider silk, which make it a viable option for tissue engineering applications and a step forward for in vitro cell culture and regenerative bioengineering.

Spider silk, which combines strength and lightness, emerges as an ideal candidate for non-woven fabric production. Unlike synthetic polymeric materials, silk are nontoxic and biocompatible and cause no allergic reaction. In particular, the dragline silk produced by the golden orb-web spider, Trichoephila clavata, is renowned for its superior strength and exceptional mechanical properties compared to other spider silks. Non-woven fabrics have found extensive applications in diverse industrial sectors, owing to their advantageous qualities such as breathability, durability, and lightweight characteristics. Natural dragline silk was extracted from the orb-weaving spider and subsequently randomly arranged. Compressing into a sheet-plane form, in addition to inducing the formation of water-resistant, stable β-sheet structures through ethanol vapor treatment or direct treatment, preserved the morphology of the silk fibers. The resulting non-woven sheets were analyzed with an field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) to observe their fine structures and mesh size were measured through image analysis.

Transmission electron microscopy was used to examine the microscopic structural features and myofibril organization of cardiac muscle cells in the orb-web spider T. clavata. There are many myofibrils, many mitochondria, a large sarcoplasmic reticulum, and transverse tubules (T-tubules) in the muscle fibers, even if the myofibril striations may not be as noticeable as in skeletal muscles. Because of their consistent striations, sarcomeres are characterized by Z-lines that are 2.0 μm on average in length and do not clearly distinguish between the A- and I-bands. A single T-tubule paired with a terminal cisterna of the sarcoplasmic reticulum constitutes a dyadic junction, which is primarily located at the A-I level of sarcomeres. Cells are joined by intercalated discs, which create several linkages via specialized junctions such as desmosomes, gap junctions, and fascia adherens—all of which are essential for heart function. Our results with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) clearly show that the contraction of the spider's heart muscle is neurogenically controlled, since each fiber is innervated by a motor neuron branch via neuromuscular junctions. These results highlight the neurogenic process controlling spiders' cardiac muscle contractions and advance our knowledge of the peculiar cardiac muscle structure of these animals.

최근 소나무재선충의 매개충을 방제하기 위한 방제법으로 널리 이용되고 있는 항공방제의 환경 영향에 대한 논의가 계속되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 2017년 경남 양산 금정산 일대를 무처리구와 처리구(3회 살포 및 5회 살포)로 구분한 뒤, 유인항공기로 살포된 티아클로프리드가 비표적 절지동물인 무당거미의 생물적 형질(체중, 체장, 머리가슴의 폭 및 뒷다리 전체 길이)에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 2017년 10월 11일에 각 조사구에서 성숙한 무당거미 암컷 성충을 채집하였다. 조사 결과, 무당거미의 생물적 형질은 살충제 살포 여부에 따라 통계적으로 유의하게 달라졌는데, 특히 체장, 머리가슴의 폭, 그리고 뒷다리의 전체 길이는 항공방제구에서 채집된 무당거미가 무처리구에서 잡힌 개체에 비해 짧은 것으로 나타났다. 그러나 살충제 살포 횟수에 따른 차이는 관찰되지 않았다. 결론적으로 무당거미의 형태적 특성은 살충제 살포에 의해 직접적 또는 간접적 으로 영향을 받았을 가능성이 있으며, 이는 장기적으로 개체군의 건강성에 영향을 줄 것이라 생각된다. 따라서 향후 장기적으로 살충제(직접 효과)와 먹이 가용성(간접 효과)에 대한 무당거미의 반응에 대한 모니터링이 수행되어야 할 것이다.