Silver nitrate-assisted photo-crosslinking for improving the mechanical properties of an alginate/silk fibroin-based 3D scaffold

초록

Scaffolds are vital biological substitutes, providing structural support for cell adhesion and subsequent tissue development. An ideal scaffold must possess mechanical properties suitable for tissue function. Natural polymers have garnered attention as fundamental substrates due to their inherent biocompatibility. However, their limitations include uncontrolled mechanical properties and weak structural integrity. This study utilized blends of tyramine-modified alginate (AT) and silk fibroin (SF) as a printable biomaterial. Using photo-crosslinkable SF/AT inks produced complex scaffolds with high printability, thereby enhancing their structural stability. The incorporation of silver nitrate facilitated the tunability of mechanical and rheological behaviors. SF/AT scaffolds with varying stiffness in the physiologically relevant range for soft tissues (51?246 kPa) exhibited excellent biocompatibility, indicating their promising potential for various applications in tissue engineering.