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Animal-Free Derived Collagen-Like Protein Based Electrospun Nanofibers for Biomedical Applications: Cell Interactions
Christoph Krauss1,2, Maria Montero Mirabet2, Blerta Sonja Thaqi2
1Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Macromolecular Bioscience
|April 9, 2026
Summary
VECOLLAN, a collagen-like protein, forms biocompatible fibers for tissue engineering. Optimized fibers showed good cell compatibility, with a 1:0.1 protein-to-crosslinker ratio being most effective, though residual chemicals were detected.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials science
- Tissue engineering
- Biomedical engineering
Background:
- Biocompatibility is crucial for biomaterials in tissue engineering and drug delivery.
- VECOLLAN, a non-animal-derived collagen-like protein (CLP), shows promise due to its biocompatibility and cell-promoting properties.
- Previous work optimized electrospinning and coaxial crosslinking for VECOLLAN fibers with tunable properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the cytocompatibility of VECOLLAN-based fibers with NIH/3T3 cells.
- To identify chemical leachables from DMTMM cross-linked VECOLLAN fibers per ISO 10993-18.
- To confirm crosslinking efficacy using spectroscopic analysis.
Main Methods:
- Electrospinning of VECOLLAN solutions.
- Coaxial crosslinking using DMTMM.
- Cell viability assays (ISO 10993-5).
- Analysis of chemical leachables.
- Spectroscopic analysis (e.g., FTIR).
Main Results:
- Most VECOLLAN nonwoven mats maintained cell viability above the 70% safety threshold.
- A CLP:DMTMM ratio of 1:0.1 yielded the best cell compatibility and crosslinking.
- Residual crosslinker molecules and unexpected derivatives were detected.
- Spectroscopic analysis suggested successful crosslinking, but intensity correlation was unclear.
Conclusions:
- VECOLLAN-based fibers demonstrate good biocompatibility for biomedical applications.
- The 1:0.1 CLP:DMTMM ratio is optimal for cell compatibility and crosslinking efficiency.
- Further investigation into crosslinkers and cell types is warranted to fully explore VECOLLAN's potential.
