A mild process to design silk scaffolds with reduced β-sheet structure and various topographies at the nanometer scale.

ABSTRACT: Three-dimensional (3-D) porous silk scaffolds with good biocompatibility and minimal immunogenicity show promise in a range of tissue regeneration applications. However, the challenge remains to effectively fabricate their microstructures and mechanical properties to satisfy the specific requirements of different tissues. In this study, silk scaffolds were fabricated to form an extracellular matrix (ECM) mimetic nanofibrous architecture using a mild process. A slowly increasing concentration process was applied to regulate silk self-assembly into nanofibers in aqueous solution. Then glycerol was blended with the nanofiber solution and induced silk crystallization in the lyophilization process, endowing freeze-dried scaffolds with water stability. The glycerol was leached from the scaffolds

SUBMITTER: Pei Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4293369 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature