Silk fibroin protein and chitosan polyelectrolyte complex porous scaffolds for tissue engineering applications

In this study, we examined the porous polyelectrolyte complex scaffolds of silk fibroin and amino polysaccharide chitosan. The blended scaffolds were fabricated and characterized. The fabricated scaffolds showed pore sizes in the range of 100–160 μm as revealed by scanning electron microscope, good interconnectivity and high porosity. Fourier transform infrared and X-ray diffraction results demonstrated the blend formation. The addition of silk fibroin reduced the degradation of chitosan containing scaffolds in lysozyme solution. The blended scaffolds showed a higher compressive strength and modulus than the individual components. Chitosan incorporation had an antibacterial effect when incorporated at the higher levels in the blends. In vitro cytocompatibility results demonstrated that the blended scaffolds supported the growth and adhesion of feline fibroblasts. Taken together, the silk fibroin/chitosan scaffolds might be a promising biohybrid material for tissue engineering.