Preparation and Characterization of an In Situ Hydrogel of Self-Assembly Type I Collagen from Shark Skin/Methylcellulose for Central Nerve System Regeneration

Abstract

Central nerve system degeneration is a crucial problem for many patients. To use an in situ hydrogel formation is an attractive method to treat that problem. An in situ hydrogel was developed for central nerve system regeneration. An acid soluble collagen (ASC) and pepsin soluble collagen (PSC) from the shark skin of the brownbanded bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium punctatum) were used to produce hybridized hydrogels by the biomimetic approach. Collagen was mixed with methylcellulose and used 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) as a crosslinker. The hydrogels had various ratios of collagen:methylcellulose: 100:0, 70:30, 50:50, 30:70, and 0:100. Structural, molecular, and morphological organization were characterized and observed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The DSC results showed that the peak of denatured collagen fibril shifted higher in a 30:70 ratio of collagen:methylcellulose in both ASC and PSC. The FT-IR results indicated that the structure of hydrogels from both ASC and PSC were organized into complex structures. The SEM results demonstrated that the collagen fibril networks were formed in both ASC and PSC hydrogels. The results indicated that the samples containing collagen promise to be an in situ hydrogel for central nerve regeneration.