Mechanical testing and passive hydration assessment of the DBBM-C scaffolds. (A) DBBM-C scaffolds were soaked in fresh blood (a,b), NaCl 0.9%–bromophenol blue (c,d) and pure fetal calf serum (e,f) for 30 and 120 s. A last treatment consisted in an instant soaking with NaCl 0.9% followed by 30 s in fresh blood (g). Blocks were then cut into 2 equal parts and photographed instantly (Representative pictures, n = 3 per treatment; white bars, 5 mm). (B) Compression curves (load (0–500 N) vs. displacement (mm)) of the scaffolds treated with fresh blood or NaCl 0.9% for 30 and 120 s, instant NaCl 0.9% then fresh blood for 30 s (3 independent series (blood/NaCl 0.9% pre-treatment/NaCl 0.9% + blood), n = 3 per treatment at each time point; Reference: dry scaffold, results expressed as Mean ± SD). (C) Stiffness (slope between 1–15 N calculated from the compression curves) of the scaffolds with respect to the nature and time of pre-treatment (3 independent series (blood/NaCl 0.9% pre-treatment/NaCl 0.9% + blood), n = 3 per treatment at each time point; Reference: dry scaffold, results expressed as Mean ± SD, *: significantly different with respect to dry control NaCl series (p < 0.05); #: significantly different with respect to dry control Blood series (p < 0.05); Brackets: indicates two conditions significantly different (p < 0.05).