Regulation of Collagen Matrix Reconstruction by Phosphated Polysaccharides

Phosphated polysaccharides were used to regulate the rate of matrix reconstruction from a neutral-salt soluble collagen (NSC) solution and the stability of the matrix in comparison with various chemically modified polysaccharides. Non-charged polysaccharides such as soluble starch, dextran, acetyl starch, hydroxypropyl starch and starch propylsulfonate had no substantial effect on matrix reconstruction. The positively charged polysaccharides, 3-trimethylamino-2-hydroxypropyl starch, slightly accelerated the molecular rearrangement, but was little incorporated in the matrix and had no effect on the thermal denaturation behavior of the matrix. Sulfated polysaccharides, polyanions, caused reconstruction without a lag phase because of too-rapid aggregation, and resulted in the reconstruction of the matrix with a less stable and heterogenous macrostructure. However, starch phosphate and dextran phosphate markedly accelerated the reconstruction of the matrix with uniform intermolecular cohesion similar to that of the control. This regulatory function of phosphated polysaccharides was enhanced with decreasing the pH from 9 to 5.