FABRICATION OF CELLULOSE NANOFIBER/KERATIN BASED SCAFFOLD FOR BONE TISSUE HEALING

• Main Author: Hikam, Muhammad
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/87099
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Damage to bone tissue occurring at a significant size requires external intervention to aid in the healing of that tissue. Bone transplantation methods, which have many shortcomings, encourage the development of scaffolds as an alternative method for bone tissue healing. Scaffolds must have high porosity to serve as a growth medium for new tissue, possess an interconnected pore structure, exhibit compressive strength greater than 0.7 MPa, have pore sizes ranging from 100-300 ?m, and be non-toxic to the body. In this study, we created scaffolds for bone tissue healing based on cellulose nanofiber (CNF) and keratin using a freeze-drying method. Cellulose nanofiber and keratin were selected as materials for the bone scaffold due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. Furthermore, keratin contains amino acid sequences LGD and RGD, which are cellular binding motifs that can enhance cell viability and proliferation. Genipin and citric acid (CA) were used as crosslinking agents to improve the stability and mechanical strength of the scaffold. The scaffold was successfully fabricated using the freeze-drying method. It features an interconnected pore structure, high porosity (60-80%), compressive strength of 0.9 – 2.3 MPa, and pore sizes of 25 – 250 ?m. In vitro tests measuring cell metabolic activity using Alamar Blue, live/dead assays, and cell adhesion were conducted using human fetal osteoblast (hFOB) cells. The results from the Alamar Blue metabolic activity assay indicated that the scaffold is non-toxic and capable of enhancing cell proliferation after 7 days of testing compared to the GelMA control sample. Based on characterization results and testing, cellulose nanofiber/keratin-based scaffolds meet the requirement and are promising candidates for use as scaffolds in bone tissue healing.