Mechanical properties and in vitro biocompatibility of porous zein scaffolds

A porous scaffold utilizing hydrophobic protein zein was prepared by the salt-leaching method for tissue engineering. The scaffolds possessed a total porosity of 75.3-79.0%, compressive Young's modulus of (28.2+/-6.7)MPa-(86.6+/-19.9)MPa and compressive strength of (2.5+/-1.2)MPa-(11.8+/-1.7)MPa, the percentage degradation of 36% using collagenase and 89% using pepsin during 14 days incubation in vitro. The morphology of pores located on the surface and within the porous scaffolds showed good pore interconnectivity by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Rat mesebchymal stem cells (MSCs) could adhere, grow, proliferate and differentiate toward osteoblasts on porous zein scaffold. With the action of dexamethasone, the cells showed a relative higher activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and a higher proliferating activity (p<0.05) than those of MSCs without dexamethasone.