Chitosan-Silk Fibroin Hydrogel Scaffold Incorporating Bioactive Aloe vera and Mimosa Complex for Cartilage-Supportive...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Development of advanced scaffolds is crucial for cartilage repair.
• Composite hydrogels offer promising properties for tissue regeneration.
• Chitosan, silk fibroin, Aloe vera, and Mimosa complex possess beneficial biological attributes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize a novel composite hydrogel scaffold.
• To evaluate the scaffold's potential for cartilage tissue engineering applications.
• To assess the loading and release of Transforming Growth Factor-beta 3 (TGF-β3).

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a composite hydrogel scaffold using chitosan, silk fibroin, Aloe vera extract, and Mimosa complex.
• Characterization of scaffold properties including porosity, pore size, mechanical strength, and swelling ratio.
• Assessment of TGF-β3 loading efficiency and cytocompatibility with chondrocytes using MTT assay and SEM.

Main Results:

• The scaffold exhibited a porous, interconnected structure with suitable pore size (43.09 ± 2.27 µm) and high porosity (61.4 ± 6.2%).
• Mechanical properties and swelling ratio (756.62 ± 114.08%) indicated suitability for physiological conditions.
• High TGF-β3 entrapment efficiency (79.18%) was achieved, and the scaffold demonstrated excellent cytocompatibility, promoting chondrocyte adhesion, proliferation, and extracellular matrix deposition (aggrecan and collagen type II).

Conclusions:

• The developed composite hydrogel scaffold demonstrates favorable physical, mechanical, and biological properties.
• The scaffold effectively supports chondrocyte growth and ECM production, indicating its potential for cartilage tissue engineering.
• This biomaterial holds promise for in vitro cartilage culture and future therapeutic applications.