So far, many studies have focused on biodegradable scaffolds for tissue engineering purposes. Herein, a starch-based biodegradable scaffold was fabricated by the freeze-drying method and cross-linked using a different concentration of 3-glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilane (GPTMS). Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) micrographs indicated an interconnected porous microstructure in which the porosity decreased as a function of starch and GPTMS content. Increasing the mechanical stability and decreasing absorption capacity and biodegradation ratio affected by the higher concentration of cross-linker and the changes in structure as a function of cross-linker enhancement. Moreover, the mineralization of hybrid structures in simulated body fluid was proved by FE-SEM image and X-ray diffraction analysis. Results indicated the more GPTMS in scaffolds led to more hydroxyapatite formation. The ability of the growth and proliferation of bone marrow mesenchyme stem cells on the constructs confirmed the ability of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications.
Keywords: GPTMS; bioactivity; biomaterials; silica; starch; tissue regeneration.
© 2018 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.