Scientists from Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University (BFU) and Voronezh State University created a flexible and durable scaffold for growing cells based on collagen protein isolated from squid. It can be used to grow human cells, create 3D-printed scaffolds for tissue engineering, and perform microsurgeries. This was reported to socialbites.ca by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science.
Collagen is the main protein that forms the intercellular matrix, that is, the “environment” for cells in our body’s connective tissues such as tendons, bones, and cartilage. In medicine, it is used as a medium to accelerate the growth and differentiation of tissues.
As a scaffold for growing cells, experts proposed using not artificially synthesized collagen, but a natural protein isolated from the squid Dosidicus gigas.
The peculiarity of this collagen is that it is non-toxic – the average survival rate of cells growing on it is 90% – close to mammalian protein, and connective tissue cells on this material grow in a certain direction, which is important for formation. It creates a barrier between the connective tissue and the organ to be operated.
“The technology for creating collagen scaffolds from squid protein is quite simple and therefore easily applicable on an industrial scale. Experiments have shown that the proposed material has high strength and flexibility, is biocompatible, non-toxic, and also supports the growth, division and migration of human embryonic cells. Immanuel “This shows that it can be considered a promising alternative to synthetic collagen used today in regenerative medicine,” Yevgeny Chupakhin, employee of the Educational and Scientific Cluster of the Institute of Medicine and Life Sciences of the Baltic Federal University of Kant, told Gazeta, ru.
According to scientists, their preference fell on squid as it is harvested in large quantities, but the squid’s shell is not used in the food industry. It was he who decided to use it, firstly because of its large number, and secondly, because of the quality and safety control that the squid has passed.