title: Preparation of ready-to-use, storable and reconstituted type I collagen from rat tail tendon for tissue engineering applications.
abstract: Collagen is a widely investigated extracellular matrix material with extensive potentials in the field of tissue engineering. This protocol describes a method to prepare reconstituted collagen that can be ready-to-use, storable and suitable for further in vitro and in vivo investigations. Type I collagen was extracted from rat tail tendons and processed in acetic acid solution to obtain sterile soluble collagen. At first, crude collagen was dissolved in acetic acid, then frozen at -20 degrees C and lyophilized to obtain a sponge, which could be stored at -80 degrees C. Lyophilized collagen was then dispersed in acetic acid to obtain a sterile solution of collagen at targeted concentrations. The whole low-cost process from the extraction to the final sterile solution takes around 2-3 weeks. The collagen solution, once neutralized, has the potential to be used to produce gels or scaffolds, to deposit thin films on supports and to develop drug delivery systems.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Laval University and University Hospital Research Center, Quebec City, Quebec G1K 7P4, Canada.
authors.forename: Navneeta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rajan
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Habermehl
authors.forename: Marie-France
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Coté
authors.forename: Charles J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Doillon
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mantovani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D051381:Rats; D013623:Tail; D013710:Tendons / Q000737:chemistry*; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I