Miniature scaffolds made from collagen – the ‘glue’ that holds our bodies together – are being used to heal damaged joints, and could be used to develop new cancer therapies or help repair the heart after a heart attack. We are able to add different types of cells to the scaffold at different times, which no-one else can do Christine Watson It may not look like much to the naked eye, but collagen is remarkably strong. The most abundant protein in the animal kingdom, it gives strength and structure to skin, tendons, ligaments, smooth muscle tissue and many other parts of the body. Through precise manipulation at a structural level, collagen can also be used as a construction material in the laboratory or clinic to help regenerate new tissue, repair damaged cartilage and bone, or aid in the development of new therapies for cardiac disease, blood disorders and cancer. To understand these conditions better and develop new treatments, or regenerate new tissue, researchers require models that very closely mimic the complex, three-dimensional environments found in human tissue. As a natural material, collagen is ideal for these biomimetic applications. By shaping it into porous structures, collagen acts as a
The post Materials scientists turn to collagen has been published on Technology Org.
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