Elsevier

Materials Science and Engineering: C

Volume 34, 1 January 2014, Pages 429-436
Materials Science and Engineering: C

Cytocompatibility of a silk fibroin tubular scaffold

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2013.09.039Get rights and content

Highlights

  • A PEG-DE cross-linked small caliber porous silk fibroin tubular scaffold (SFTS)

  • PEG-DE cross-linked SF film had no inhibitory effect on DNA replication of cells.

  • Cells cultured on the SFTS showed good morphology, cell viability and proliferative activity.

  • SFTS would be beneficial to endothelialization.

  • SFTS had good suture retention strength and flexibility.

Abstract

Regenerated silk fibroin (SF) materials are increasingly used for tissue engineering applications. In order to explore the feasibility of a novel biomimetic silk fibroin tubular scaffold (SFTS) crosslinked by poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEG-DE), biocompatibility with cells was evaluated. The novel biomimetic design of the SFTS consisted of three distinct layers: a regenerated SF intima, a silk braided media and a regenerated SF adventitia. The SFTS exhibited even silk fibroin penetration throughout the braid, forming a porous layered tube with superior mechanical, permeable and cell adhesion properties that are beneficial to vascular regeneration. Cytotoxicity and cell compatibility were tested on L929 cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (EA.hy926). DNA content analysis, scanning electron and confocal microscopies and MTT assay showed no inhibitory effects on DNA replication. Cell morphology, viability and proliferation were good for L929 cells, and satisfactory for EA.hy926 cells. Furthermore, the suture retention strength of the SFTS was about 23 N and the Young's modulus was 0.2–0.3 MPa. Collectively, these data demonstrate that PEG-DE crosslinked SFTS possesses the appropriate cytocompatibility and mechanical properties for use as vascular scaffolds as an alternative to vascular autografts.

Keywords

Biomimetic tubular scaffold
Cytocompatibility
PEG-DE
Silk fibroin
Suture retention strength
Young's modulus

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