Preparation of ready-to-use, stockable and reconstituted collagen

Macromol Biosci. 2005 Sep 16;5(9):821-8. doi: 10.1002/mabi.200500102.

Abstract

Collagen is a widely used material in biomedical applications. Although processes that prepare collagen and collagen-based materials that show suitable properties after extraction exist, a ready-to-use, easily stockable, with tailored collagen concentration has not yet been developed. Using rat tail tendons, acid soluble collagen solutions were prepared by two different methods. To improve cell viability of pure collagen films, solutions with physiological pH were also prepared by mixing with NaOH solution. Specimens in the form of thin sheets were then fabricated by solvent evaporation. Next, IR spectroscopy, tensile testing techniques as well as human fibroblast cell morphology and cytotoxicity were used to validate the significant variations in the processes. The results demonstrated that, during the synthesis of collagen stock solution, lyophilization and mechanical blending had little effect on the final properties and therefore offers a method for obtaining solutions with a more homogeneous and modifiable collagen concentration and longer storage time. Neutralizing the stock solution with aqueous NaOH prior to solvent evaporation provided films that had lower mechanical properties but significantly improved biological performance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry
  • Biocompatible Materials / isolation & purification
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Collagen / chemistry
  • Collagen / isolation & purification*
  • Collagen / pharmacology
  • Elasticity
  • Fibroblasts / cytology
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / ultrastructure
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Rats
  • Spectrophotometry, Infrared
  • Tail / chemistry
  • Tensile Strength

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Collagen