Fabrication of novel shark collagen-pectin scaffolds for tissue engineering

Collagen-pectin scaffolds comprised of collagen derived from the skins of brown banded bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium punctatum) and citrus pectin were fabricated for tissue engineering. Crosslinking of the scaffolds was performed by pregelation of pectin using calcium sulfate and chemical crosslinking of collagen using carbodiimide. The surface morphology of the scaffolds as determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed a porous structure with an average pore size of 134.53 ± 52.44 μm with interconnecting pores. The mechanical properties of the scaffolds were a hardness of 0.591±0.135 N, and a springiness of 0.958±0.022. Compatibility of the scaffolds was confirmed using an in vitro cytotoxicity test on C2C12 myoblast cells. It was concluded that these collagen-pectin scaffolds from a novel source of collagen could be suitable for applications in tissue engineering.