Porous Poly(ε‐Caprolactone)/Keratin Composite Scaffolds: Structural Features, Degradation Behavior and Cell‐Material Interactions

ABSTRACT

Porous scaffolds based on pure poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) and on biocomposite made of PCL and feather‐extracted β‐keratin (FK) were fabricated by salt‐leaching method. FK was incorporated into PCL to address the limited bioactivity and hydrophobic nature of PCL, with the aim of improving cell–material interactions for bone tissue engineering applications. Both PCL and PCL/FK scaffolds exhibited porous structures; SEM analysis and image‐based quantification revealed a higher apparent porosity and a more heterogeneous pore wall microstructure in the composite scaffolds than in pure PCL. Degradation studies conducted in phosphate‐buffered saline at 37°C showed comparable molecular weight decay profiles for PCL and PCL/FK scaffolds, suggesting a similar degradation mechanism, while PCL/FK composite scaffolds exhibited greater mass loss at longer time intervals. The cytocompatibility of the scaffolds was evaluated using MC3T3‐E1 preosteoblasts through LDH‐based assays, showing good cell viability on both materials. Notably, PCL/FK scaffolds supported enhanced cell adhesion and proliferation, likely due to increased surface hydrophilicity and microstructural heterogeneity. This study suggests that FK incorporation may create a microenvironment more favorable to osteogenic progression compared to pure PCL, and these findings may indicate improved cell–material interactions.