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Updated: Sep 26, 2025

Production of Nanofibrillar Patterned Collagen for Tissue Engineering
Published on: September 20, 2024
Exploring the Mechanical Properties and Performance of Type-I Collagen at Various Length Scales: A Progress Report
Shirsha Bose1, Simin Li1, Elisa Mele2
1Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, Leicestershire, UK.
Abstract:
Collagen is the basic protein of animal tissues and has a complex hierarchical structure. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the mechanical and structural stability of biological tissues. Over the years, it has become a material of interest in the biomedical industries thanks to its excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability and low antigenicity. Despite its significance, the mechanical properties and performance of pure collagen have been never reviewed. In this work, the emphasis is on the mechanics of collagen at different hierarchical levels and its long-term mechanical performance. In addition, the effect of hydration, important for various applications, was considered throughout the study because of its dramatic influence on the mechanics of collagen. Furthermore, the discrepancies in reports of the mechanical properties of collagenous tissues (basically composed of 20-30% collagen fibres) and those of pure collagen are discussed.
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