@article {15838, title = {Bioactive Macro/micro Porous Silk Fibroin/Nano-sized Calcium Phosphate Scaffolds with potential for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications}, journal = {Nanomedicine}, volume = {8}, year = {2012}, month = {2012-12-24 00:00:00}, pages = {359-378}, publisher = {Future Medicine}, edition = {Nanomedicine}, abstract = {

Aim:\ 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.\ Materials \& methods:\ Nano-CaP was incorporated in a concentrated aqueous SF solution (16 wt.\%) by using an\ in situ\ synthesis method. The silk/nano-CaP scaffolds were then prepared through a combination of salt-leaching/lyophilization approaches.\ Results:\ 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\ in vitro\ bioactivity tests and cell viability assays, respectively.\ Conclusion:\ These results indicated that the produced silk/nano-CaP scaffolds could be suitable candidates for bone-tissue-engineering applications.

}, keywords = {Bone Tissue Engineering, Calcium Phosphate, Nanocomposite, Scaffold, Silk Fibroin}, issn = {1743-5889 }, doi = {10.2217/nnm.12.118}, url = {http://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/abs/10.2217/nnm.12.118?journalCode=nnm}, author = {Yan, L. P. and Silva-Correia, J. and Correia, C. and Caridade, S. G. and Fernandes, E. M. and Sousa, R. A. and Mano, J. F. and Oliveira, J. M. and Oliveira, A. L. and Reis, R. L.} }