The objective of this study was to fabricate and characterize collagen scaffolds from porcine skin collagen mixed with hydroxyapatite for using as scaffolds in guided bone regeneration. The collagen used in this study was extracted from porcine skin by dissolving in acid-enzyme mixture and salt precipitation. Three different concentrations of the extracted collagen were mixed with hydroxyapatite. The mixtures were frozen under two conditions, slow and fast freezing conditions, then fabricated by lyophilization. The scaffolds were cross-linked to increase their stability. Ultrastructural characteristics, pore size, water absorption, and degradation of the scaffolds were studied. All collagen/hydroxyapatite scaffolds fabricated in this study were sponge-like, white, and easily dissolved in water before being crosslinked. The scaffolds became more stable after cross-linking. The mean pore size of scaffold prepared from different collagen concentrations were not statistically different (p > 0.05) while the mean pore size of the scaffold prepared under different freezing conditions were different (p < 0.05). Water absorption of scaffolds prepared from different conditions was also different (p < 0.05). The scaffold fabricated from 2.5% collagen under fast freezing condition had the slowest degradation. The results suggested that porcine skin collagen mixed with hydroxyapatite can be fabricated to porous scaffold by freeze drying and cross-linking techniques.
