Structural and chemical properties of acellular scaffolds made from bovine ribs

This study was aimed to analyze the structural and chemical properties of scaffolds prepared using the bovine rib bone. The bovine rib bone was extracted and processed by water jet washing, hydrogen peroxide treatment, and freeze drying to obtain porous scaffolds. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that the scaffold was composed of interconnected trabeculae networks with an average pore diameter of 223 µm. The bulk density was determined to be 0.582 g/cm³, and the porosity was 70.3%. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the scaffold consisted of hydroxyapatite at a low crystallinity. It was further observed that the scaffold contained calcium and phosphate at a Ca/P ratio of 1.68, with a trace of proteins. When the scaffold was soaked in the phosphate buffered saline at 37°C, the weight of the scaffold decreased by 5.5% after 28 days. These results will provide a platform for subsequent processing to fabricate decellularized scaffolds.