Calcium Phosphate Mineralization on Calcium Carbonate Particle Incorporated Silk-Fibroin Composites

Abstract

In this study, three anhydrous forms of calcium carbonate, namely vaterite, aragonite and calcite, withdistinct morphologies were incorporated inside silk-fibroin to fabricate composite scaffolds for tissueengineering applications. To assess calcium phosphate mineralization, composite scaffolds were treatedwith simulated body fluid up to one month. It was observed that composite scaffolds having differentcalcium carbonate polymorphs expressed different mineralization. Incorporating 25 wt. % of vateritepolymorph, which was the least stable form of calcium carbonate under aqueous conditions, inducedthe highest calcium phosphate mineralization in silk-fibroin while calcium carbonate-free silk-fibroinscaffolds expressed no calcium phosphate deposition. Results highlighted the importance of calciumcarbonate particles in enhancing the bioactivity of silk-fibroin based composite scaffolds.