Collagen-fucoidan blend film with the potential to induce fibroblast proliferation for regenerative applications

Collagen is a unique protein abundantly present in the connective tissues of mammals and widely used for biomaterial preparation. In this study, we synthesized and characterized collagen-fucoidan blend films for tissue regenerative properties. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were used for thermal analysis of the blend films, and the films exhibited higher thermal stability and denaturation temperature (Td) than those of native collagen due to intramolecular hydrogen bonding interaction between collagen and fucoidan, which was analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy. Morphological evaluation of these films using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed smaller pore size than the control. Moreover, fucoidan protects collagen against enzymatic degradation and thereby increases the structural stability of collagen. Further, the in vitro studies of the synthesized films showed that they effectively facilitated the proliferation and migration of fibroblast cells without exhibiting toxicity. These study results suggested that the collagen-fucoidan blend films are a favorable substrate for growth of fibroblast cells, and may have great potential for tissue engineering applications.