Better than natural

Synthetic collagen has been created for wound healing

ABC Magazine based on Rice University materials: Synthetic collagen promotes natural clottingCollagen is a fibrillar protein with a special tertiary structure.

The structural unit of its molecule is formed by a triple helix consisting of polypeptide chains, each of which is twisted into a left-sided spiral. In the human body, collagen plays an important role, forming the matrix of connective tissue and providing its strength and elasticity.

One of the important properties of collagen is its ability to accelerate coagulation and platelet adhesion. This property is used in medicine, and doctors have to use natural collagen obtained from animals, usually from cows. Regarding such collagen, there are concerns that it can cause an inflammatory reaction, an immune response, and also serve as a carrier of infections.

In the laboratory of Jeffrey Hartgerink at William Marsh Rice University, a synthetic analogue of collagen was obtained several years ago. A synthetic peptide with a length of 36 amino acid residues is able to form a triple helix and be saturated with water before forming a hydrogel. In recent experiments, scientists have been able to test the hemostatic properties of the new material.

In the laboratory, the researchers saw how a hydrogel based on synthetic collagen binds platelets and activates them, promotes their aggregation. This significantly accelerates the stopping of bleeding, and at the same time not the slightest signs of inflammation are detected. The aggregative properties and the absence of an immune system reaction favorably distinguish the new material from commercial analogues. Of course, it cannot be used to stop significant bleeding, and collagen is not able to replace a tourniquet and a tight bandage, but in the operating room, it is difficult to find an analogue to stop surgical bleeding.

In addition to surgical applications, Hartgerink and colleagues are considering using the new material to support grafts and heal small wounds. Synthetic collagen can form the basis for the attachment of any cell types and the growth of new tissues, it can be modified in accordance with a specific planned application. Chemical purity and immunological inertia become an important advantage here and an additional guarantee of a successful result.

Article by Kumar et al. A Nanostructured Synthetic Collagen Mimic for Hemostasis is published in the journal Biomacromolecules.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru14.04.2014