Cen Lian, Liu Wei, Cui Lei, Zhang Wenjie, Cao Yilin
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai 9th People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China.
Pediatr Res. 2008 May;63(5):492-6. doi: 10.1203/PDR.0b013e31816c5bc3.
Scientific investigations involving collagen have inspired tissue engineering and design of biomaterials since collagen fibrils and their networks primarily regulate and define most tissues. The collagen networks form a highly organized, three-dimensional architecture to entrap other ingredients. Biomaterials are expected to function as cell scaffolds to replace native collagen-based extracellular matrix. The composition and properties of biomaterials used as scaffold for tissue engineering significantly affect the regeneration of neo-tissues and influence the conditions of collagen engineering. The complex scenario of collagen characteristics, types, fibril arrangement, and collagen structure-related functions (in a variety of connective tissues including bone, cartilage, tendon, skin and cornea) are addressed in this review. Discussion will focus on nanofibrillar assemblies and artificial synthetic peptides that mimic either the fibrillar structure or the elemental components of type I collagen as illustrated by their preliminary applications in tissue engineering. Conventional biomaterials used as scaffolds in engineering collagen-containing tissues are also discussed. The design of novel biomaterials and application of conventional biomaterials will facilitate development of additional novel tissue engineering bioproducts by refining the currently available techniques. The field of tissue engineering will ultimately be advanced by increasing control of collagen in native tissue and by continual manipulation of biomaterials.
由于胶原纤维及其网络主要调节和定义大多数组织，涉及胶原蛋白的科学研究激发了组织工程和生物材料的设计。胶原网络形成高度有序的三维结构以包裹其他成分。生物材料有望作为细胞支架来替代天然的基于胶原蛋白的细胞外基质。用作组织工程支架的生物材料的组成和特性显著影响新组织的再生，并影响胶原工程的条件。本综述探讨了胶原蛋白的特性、类型、纤维排列以及与胶原结构相关的功能（在包括骨、软骨、肌腱、皮肤和角膜在内的各种结缔组织中）的复杂情况。讨论将集中在纳米纤维组装体和人工合成肽上，这些肽模仿I型胶原的纤维结构或基本成分，其在组织工程中的初步应用说明了这一点。还讨论了在含胶原组织工程中用作支架的传统生物材料。新型生物材料的设计和传统生物材料的应用将通过改进现有技术促进更多新型组织工程生物产品的开发。通过加强对天然组织中胶原蛋白的控制和持续操纵生物材料，组织工程领域最终将取得进展。
