Collagen Scaffolds
“Collagen is a group of naturally occurring proteins. In nature, it is found exclusively in animals, especially in the flesh and connective tissues of mammals. It is the main component of connective tissue, and is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up about 25% to 35% of the whole-body protein content. Collagen, in the form of elongated fibrils, is mostly found in fibrous tissues such as tendon, ligament and skin, and is also abundant in cornea, cartilage, bone, blood vessels, the gut, and intervertebral disc.” Its biocompatibility makes collagen a good candidate for tissue scaffolds. (RDC 12/7/2010)
(Wikipedia, Collagen, 12/7/2010)
Recent Journal Articles
12/3/2010
Electrospun collagen–chitosan–TPU nanofibrous scaffolds for tissue engineered tubular grafts
(307-315) Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 82 #2 (2010)
Huang et al attempted to design a novel kind of scaffolds for blood vessel and nerve repairs. Random and aligned nanofibrous scaffolds based on collagen–chitosan–thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blends were electrospun to mimic the componential and structural aspects of the native extracellular matrix, while an optimal proportion was found to keep the balance between biocompatibility and mechanical strength. The scaffolds were crosslinked by glutaraldehyde (GTA) vapor to prevent them from being dissolved in the culture medium. Cell viability studies with endothelial cells and Schwann cells demonstrated that the blended nanofibrous scaffolds formed by electrospinning process had good biocompatibility and aligned fibers could regulate cell morphology by inducing cell orientation. Results indicated that collagen–chitosan–TPU blended nanofibrous scaffolds might be a potential candidate for vascular repair and nerve regeneration. (RDC 12/6/2010)