Fabrication of konjac glucomannan-silk fibroin based biomimetic scaffolds for improved vascularization and soft tissue engineering applications

The biomimetic scaffolds were fabricated using two natural biopolymers; Konjac glucomannan (KGM) and Silk fibroin (SF). The various proportions of KGM (1%) and SF (1%–2%) solutions were cross-linked using citric acid as a cross linker and then lyophilized to prepare the fibrous scaffolds. The physicochemical properties of the KGM/SF scaffolds were investigated using FT-IR analysis, TGA analysis, SEM, porosity, swelling, in vitro biodegradation, and mechanical characterization. FTIR spectra revealed the presence of characteristic functional moieties in the KGM/SF scaffolds. The improved thermal stability was observed for KGM/SF scaffolds compared to the control. The SEM images revealed that the scaffolds exhibited a porous morphology. The biodegradation of KGM/SF scaffolds was almost 77% until day 21, showing the biodegradable nature of the KGM/SF scaffolds. The compression strength of KGM/SF scaffolds was significantly higher than the KGM scaffold and eligible for soft tissue engineering. The KGM/SF scaffolds were further characterized by in vitro cell viability and cell attachment in fibroblast cells, demonstrating the non-toxicity of scaffolds. Finally, in vivo CAM assay was successfully performed and determined the efficacy of KGM/SF scaffolds in vascularization. Overall, the results demonstrated that the KGM/SF scaffolds are biocompatible and capable of promoting vascularization in tissue engineering and biomedical applications.