title: Fabrication of high-density collagen fibril matrix gels by renaturation of triple-helix collagen from gelatin.
abstract: Collagen-based 3-D hydrogels often lack sufficient mechanical strength for tissue engineering. We developed a method for fabrication of high-density collagen fibril matrix (CFM) gels from concentrated solutions of uncleaved gelatin (UCG). Denatured random-coil UCG exhibited more rapid and efficient renaturation into collagen triple-helix than cleaved gelatin (CG) over a broad range of setting temperatures. The UCG solution formed opaque gels with high-density reconstituted collagen fibrils at 28-32 °C and transparent gels similar to CG at <25 °C. The unique gelation properties of UCG enabled the encapsulation of cultured cells in CFM of high solid volume (>5%) and elasticity (1.28 ± 0.15 kPa at 5% and 4.82 ± 0.38 kPa at 8%) with minimal cell loss. The elastic modulus of these gels was higher than that of conventional CFM containing 0.5% collagen. High-strength CFM may provide more durable hydrogels for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Group, Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute (TIRI), 2-4-10 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan. Electronic address: ohyabu.yoshimi@iri-tokyo.jp.
authors.forename: Yoshimi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohyabu
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yunoki
authors.forename: Hirosuke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hatayama
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Teranishi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005780:Gelatin / Q000737:chemistry*; D005782:Gels; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D020673:Protein Renaturation; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D013696:Temperature; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D005780:Gelatin; D003094:Collagen
keywords: Cell encapsulation; Collagen; Fibril; Gelatin; Renaturation; Three-dimensional cell culture