A salt-based method to adapt stiffness and biodegradability of porous collagen scaffolds.

ABSTRACT: Type I collagen scaffolds for tissue reconstruction often have impaired mechanical characteristics such as limited stiffness and lack of strength. In this study, a new technique is presented to fine-tune stiffness and biodegradability of collagen scaffolds by treatment with concentrated salt solutions. Collagen scaffolds were prepared by a casting, freezing and lyophilization process. Scaffolds were treated with 90% saturated salt solutions, the salts taken from the Hofmeister series, followed by chemical crosslinking. Treatment with salts consisting of a divalent cation in combination with a monovalent anion, e.g. CaCl₂, resulted in fast shrinkage of the scaffolds up to approximately 10% of the original surface area. Effective salts were mostly at the chaotropic end of t

SUBMITTER: Versteegden LR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9075161 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature