Tilapia skin collagen composite: A promising candidate in the modulation of bone regeneration

Bone defects of oral and maxillofacial have always been the difficult problems in clinical treatment. Traditional methods like autografts or allografts bone graft still remain some disadvantages. With the developments of bone tissue engineering, the applications of marine organisms have attracted lots of attention. This research intended to prepare a synergistic pepsin-hydrolyzed tilapia fish collagen (PHFC)/hydroxyapatite (HAP) composite, which based on the components and structure of natural bone extracellular matrix (ECM). Through in vitro and in vivo experiments, we preliminarily demonstrated that this composite exhibits excellent biocompatibility, appropriate degradation rate, and favorable osteogenic properties. In conclusion, this novel material can be regarded as bioactive ingredient for biomaterials used in bone regeneration.