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 ‘scaffold’ on which cells and tissue can grow in three dimensions in predetermined forms, mimicking those found in the body.
The idea of using collagen as a scaffold is not new, but the very high level of control that Cambridge researchers are able to achieve over its properties has made a huge range of clinical applications possible, including the repair of damaged joints or tissue, or accelerating the development of new therapies for cancer.
“There is an increasing need for improved materials that work with the systems in the body to regenerate healthy tissue, rather than just replacing what’s there with something synthetic,” said Professor Ruth Cameron of the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, who, along with Professor Serena Best, is working with researchers from across the University to develop the scaffolds for a range of clinical applications. “You’re trying to help the body to heal itself and produce what it needs in order to do that.”
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Image: Collagen scaffold imaged using X-ray microtomography to reveal its 3D structure
Credit: Jennifer Ashworth
Reproduced courtesy of the University of Cambridge
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