[Collagen based dressings in the treatment of wound healing]

Collagen is the fundamental protein forming the connective tissues matrix, improves the ability of keratinocytes to migrate to sites that require rebuilding of the damaged epidermis, is one of the component of dressings used to accelerate wound healing. Because of the potential risk of the presence of pathogenic prions in bovine collagen, part of collagen dressings is formed on the basis of porcine collagen. Currently, a least of an immunogenic form of collagen is atelocollagen, which is subjected to enzyme-treated collagen, in which the terminal amino acids are removed from the collagen. It is assumed that in the near future atelocollagen will be used also as a carrier for drugs which support the healing processes.