Gelatin/carboxymethyl carrageenan/halloysites nanocomposite bone tissue engineering scaffolds with enhanced biomimetic mineralization

Combining protein-polysaccharide-halloysite scaffolds to promote bone-like apatite formation has emerged as a promising strategy for replicating the extracellular matrix. This study aimed to design and evaluate a novel bioactive nanocomposite scaffold composed of carboxymethyl carrageenan, gelatin, and halloysites for bone regeneration applications. Various techniques were employed to characterize the scaffolds, assessing their morphology, compressive strength, apatite mineralization, and biological performance in comparison to halloysite-free scaffolds. The results showed a very porous structure with interconnecting pores. The inclusion of halloysite reduced pore size and overall porosity while enhancing compressive strength, cellular attachment, viability, and ALP production. The scaffold formed an apatite layer after 2 weeks of Immersion in simulated body fluid.