Collagen-Based Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering

Wang, ZK; Dong, Y; Wang, YY

Abstract

Collagen is commonly used as a regenerative biomaterial due to its excellent biocompatibility and wide distribution in tissues. Different kinds of hybridization or cross-links are favored to offer improvements to satisfy various needs of biomedical applications. Previous reviews have been made to introduce the sources and structures of collagen. In addition, biological and mechanical properties of collagen-based biomaterials, their modification and application forms, and their interactions with host tissues are pinpointed. However, there is still no review about collagen-based biomaterials for tissue engineering. Therefore, we aim to summarize and discuss the progress of collagen-based materials for tissue regeneration applications in this review. We focus on the utilization of collagen-based biomaterials for bones, cartilages, skin, dental, neuron, cornea, and urological applications and hope these experiences and outcomes can provide inspiration and practical techniques for the future development of collagen-based biomaterials in related application fields. Moreover, future improving directions and challenges for collagen-based biomaterials are proposed as well.

Keywords: collagen; biomaterials; biomedical applications; tissue engineering

Related products/services

Collagens

Collagen-based biomaterials play a key role in tissue engineering. Collagen is a protein mainly found in human connective tissue and has excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. In tissue engineering, collagen-based materials can be used to build scaffold structures that mimic the biological and mechanical properties of natural tissues. These biomaterials not only provide support for cell attachment and growth, but also stimulate cell differentiation and new tissue formation. The biocompatibility of collagen-based biomaterials makes them suitable for a variety of tissue engineering applications such as skin, bone, and soft tissue repair. These materials can simulate specific tissues by adjusting their structure and chemical properties, providing an ideal microenvironment for tissue regeneration. Due to their natural origin and versatility, collagen-based biomaterials are widely used in the medical field, promoting the development of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine and providing patients with more effective treatment options.