Bioactive macro/micro porous silk fibroin/nano-sized calcium phosphate scaffolds with potential for bone-tissue-engineering applications

• Published in: Nanomedicine (London, England) Vol. 8; no. 3; pp. 359 - 378
• Main Authors: Yan, Le-Ping, Silva-Correia, Joana, Correia, Cristina, Caridade, Sofia G, Fernandes, Emanuel M, Sousa, Rui A, Mano, João F, Oliveira, Joaquim M, Oliveira, Ana L, Reis, Rui L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Future Medicine Ltd 01.03.2013; Future Medicine
• Subjects: Animals; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Bombyx; Bone and Bones - chemistry; bone tissue engineering; Calcifying Nanoparticles - chemistry; Calcifying Nanoparticles - therapeutic use; Calcium phosphate; Calcium Phosphates - chemistry; Calcium Phosphates - therapeutic use; Composition; Fibroins - chemistry; Fibroins - ultrastructure; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health. Pharmaceutical industry; Humans; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Innovations; Medical sciences; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Miscellaneous; nano-sized calcium phosphate; nanocomposite; Nanoparticles; Orthopedic surgery; Particle Size; Porosity; porous scaffold; Properties; Silk - chemistry; Silk - ultrastructure; silk fibroin; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Tissue Engineering; Tissue Scaffolds - chemistry; nano-sized calcium phosphate nanocomposite; porous scaffold; Tissue engineering; bone tissue engineering; Calcium phosphate; Scaffold; Biological activity; Composite material; Protein; silk fibroin; Osteoarticular system; Silk; Natural fiber; Animal fiber; Fibroin; Nanocomposite; Bone; Porosity; Nanomedicine
• ISSN: 1743-5889; 1748-6963; 1748-6963
• DOI: 10.2217/nnm.12.118

The development of novel silk/nano-sized calcium phosphate (silk/nano-CaP) scaffolds with highly dispersed CaP nanoparticles in the silk fibroin (SF) matrix for bone tissue engineering. Nano-CaP was incorporated in a concentrated aqueous SF solution (16 wt.%) by using an synthesis method. The silk/nano-CaP scaffolds were then prepared through a combination of salt-leaching/lyophilization approaches. The CaP particles presented good affinity to SF and their size was inferior to 200 nm when theoretical CaP/silk ratios were between 4 and 16 wt.%, as determined by scanning electron microscopy. The CaP particles displayed a uniform distribution in the scaffolds at both microscopic and macroscopic scales as observed by backscattered scanning electron microscopy and micro-computed tomography, respectively. The prepared scaffolds presented self-mineralization capability and no cytotoxicity confirmed by bioactivity tests and cell viability assays, respectively. These results indicated that the produced silk/nano-CaP scaffolds could be suitable candidates for bone-tissue-engineering applications. Original submitted 21 December 2011; Revised submitted 10 July 2012; Published online 24 December 2012