Biocompatibility and bioactivity behaviour of coelectrospun silk fibroin‐hydroxyapatite nanofibres using formic acid

Abstract

Appending hydroxyapatite (HAp) to non-osteogenic silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds is an undeniable fact about the bone tissue engineering. The present research aimed to fabricate the uniform coelectrospun SF-HAp composites with 1, 3 and 5 wt% of nano-particles using acid solution to access fibres with favourable mechanical strength simultaneous with the enhanced bone cell compatibility. SEM images displayed that the average diameter of nanofibres increased from 90 ± 12 in SF nanofibres to 227 ± 13 in SF-5%HAp. Meanwhile, the elastic modulus and breaking strain were equal to 63.4 ± 1.08 MPa and 2.57 ± 0.04, respectively, for SF-3% HAp which was significantly higher than the SF fibres. Bioactivity property was evaluated after immersion in simulated body fluid by the SEM/EDS analysis. The results, which were confirmed by XRD and FTIR, asserted calcium phosphate deposition after 7 days rather than the SF mats. Finally, the MTT assay, Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcium deposition and cell adhesion approved that the SF-HAp nano-composite could raise the cell viability and significantly enhance osteogenic differentiation and mineralisation process by increasing osteoblast cell migration and adhesion to the surface of nanofibres. In brief, it can be concluded that the SF-HAp nanofibres can be considered as the superlative candidates for application in the bone tissue engineering.