Milk protein-based emulsion gels for bone tissue engineering

Sodium caseinate-stabilized olive oil-in-water emulsions have been prepared in order to act as templates for the adsorption of artificial hydroxyapatite (HAp), a calcium phosphate ceramic and principal bone component. The emulsion droplets were co-precipitated with in situ produced HAp, apparently through caseinate–calcium phosphate interactions, resulting in a ceramic phase with dispersed oil droplets. Subsequent supercritical carbon dioxide or n-hexane elution of the oil from the composite material resulted in the formation of a porous ceramic, with the empty pores taking the place of the eluted droplets.