Comparative analysis of collagen from different sources for wound and burn management

Burns are serious injuries commonly treated using dressings and tissue-engineered biological or synthetic skin substitutes. Collagen is a promising biomaterial for tissue engineering due to its biochemical composition and structure. This study comparatively examined the properties of collagen derived from the jellyfish Aurelia aurita and Rhopilema hispidum under varying temperature conditions, alongside collagen from other animal sources. The potential application of jellyfish-derived collagen in burn and wound treatment was assessed based on these analyses. The molecular weight of jellyfish collagen ranged from 105 kDa to 240 kDa. The isoelectric point was 5.19 for R. hispidum and 4.90 for A. aurita. Compared to animal and avian collagen, jellyfish collagen exhibited a lower denaturation temperature. It was inferior in hydrophilicity, hydration degree, mechanical strength, and solubility, indicating a need for additional modification before use in tissue engineering. Microscopic analysis revealed a highly porous structure in both jellyfish species. Pore sizes for A. aurita ranged from 57.1 μm to 256.7 μm with wall thicknesses of 58.2 - 241.7 μm; for R. hispidum, pore sizes ranged from 57.1 μm to 337.6 μm and wall thicknesses from 48.7 μm to 163.6 μm. In vitro studies using human umbilical vein endothelial cells demonstrated enhanced migration on the 1^st day in the presence of jellyfish collagen, indicating a lack of cytotoxicity. In vivo mouse model experiments showed rapid collagen assimilation when sutured subcutaneously. Minor inflammation observed in R. hispidum-based sponges was likely due to inadequate sterilization. These findings indicate that A. aurita and R. hispidum are viable marine sources of collagen and hold significant promise for future applications in regenerative medicine and wound healing.