Porous 3D silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds were prepared directly from the SF solution with the addition of methanol and glutaralclehyde by a freeze-drying method. The scaffolds were then soaked in the simulated body fluid (SBF) for the deposition of hydroxyapatite (HA) crystals. The XRD and MR results showed that the SF were in P-sheet structure, resulting in the high thermal stability and mechanical properties of scaffolds. The XRD and AAS data revealed that the SF scaffolds could induce the continuous growth and enrichment ofHA crystals onto the scaffolds with the extension ofsoaking time. The mechanical properties of scaffolds increased first with the HA-deposition within 3 d of soaking, then it declined. During the full soaking period, no significant change was observed on the porosity and water-binding ability, which were kept at about 84% and 800%, respectively. The cell cultivation results showed that the scaffolds have the satisfied cell biocompatibility, which was promoted after the HA-deposition. This work suggests that the porous 3D SF scaffolds may be a potential candidate in the bone engineering. (c) 2008 Elsevier BY. All rights reserved.