title: Fibrillogenesis in continuously spun synthetic collagen fiber.
abstract: The universal structural role of collagen fiber networks has motivated the development of collagen gels, films, coatings, injectables, and other formulations. However, reported synthetic collagen fiber fabrication schemes have either culminated in short, discontinuous fiber segments at unsuitably low production rates, or have incompletely replicated the internal fibrillar structure that dictates fiber mechanical and biological properties. We report a continuous extrusion system with an off-line phosphate buffer incubation step for the manufacture of synthetic collagen fiber. Fiber with a cross-section of 53+ or - 14 by 21 + or - 3 microm and an ultimate tensile strength of 94 + or - 19 MPa was continuously produced at 60 m/hr from an ultrafiltered monomeric collagen solution. The effect of collagen solution concentration, flow rate, and spinneret size on fiber size was investigated. The fiber was further characterized by microdifferential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), second harmonic generation (SHG) analysis, and in a subcutaneous murine implant model. Calorimetry demonstrated stabilization of the collagen triple helical structure, while TEM and SHG revealed a dense, axially aligned D-periodic fibril structure throughout the fiber cross-section. Implantation of glutaraldehyde crosslinked and noncrosslinked fiber in the subcutaneous tissue of mice demonstrated limited inflammatory response and biodegradation after a 6-week implant period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Caves
authors.forename: Vivek A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Wanxing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Apkarian
authors.forename: Julie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Coats
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Berland
authors.forename: Elliot L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Chaikof
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D024022:Fibrillar Collagens / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005976:Glutaral; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D015394:Molecular Structure; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D051381:Rats; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D024022:Fibrillar Collagens; D005976:Glutaral