Fabrication and characterization of silk fibroin–gelatin/chondroitin sulfate/hyaluronic acid scaffold for biomedical applications

• SF–GCH scaffold has physical and biological advantages over SF or GCH scaffold.
• SF–GCH scaffold has high porosity and water uptake.
• SF–GCH scaffold shows slow degradation and high mechanical strength.
• SF–GCH scaffold is non-cytotoxicity and enhanced cell proliferation.

We fabricated silk fibroin–gelatin/chondroitin sulfate/hyaluronic acid (SF–GCH) scaffolds with different blending ratios using freeze-drying technique. The properties of the scaffolds in term of structural morphology, porosity, water uptake, compressive strength, degradability and cell viability were investigated. The blended scaffolds showed porous structure with pore diameters ranging 211–272 µm, and high porosity and water uptake. The addition of SF reduced degradation rate of scaffold in collagenase solution and increased mechanical strength by 168% in comparison with GCH scaffold. in vitro cytocompatibility demonstrated that the blended SF–GCH scaffold supported cell viability and proliferation, which may be of value for tissue engineering applications.