Natural sources of collagen
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Natural Sources of Collagen
Collagen is a vital protein found in various organisms, playing a crucial role in structural integrity and biological functions. Traditionally, collagen has been sourced from bovine and porcine origins, but there is a growing interest in alternative natural sources due to health concerns and sustainability issues. This article explores the diverse natural sources of collagen, focusing on marine and other unconventional sources.
Marine Collagen: Sustainable and Safe
Fish and Marine Invertebrates
Marine organisms, particularly fish, have emerged as promising sources of collagen. Fish biomass, including by-catch organisms like undersized fish, jellyfish, sharks, starfish, and sponges, is rich in collagen and offers a sustainable alternative to traditional sources . Marine collagen is advantageous because it does not carry the risk of transmissible diseases that are associated with land animals . Additionally, using discarded and underused marine biomass aligns with the zero-waste strategy, promoting environmental sustainability.
Squid
Squid, specifically Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic species, have also been identified as valuable sources of collagen. Studies have shown that collagen extracted from squid skin exhibits similar amino acid profiles to calf collagen, making it suitable for biomedical applications. The extraction process typically involves acid-based and pepsin-based protocols, with pepsin-soluble collagen showing higher yields.
Jellyfish
Jellyfish collagen is another marine-derived source that has gained attention. It is particularly noted for its high biocompatibility and low immunogenicity, making it suitable for tissue engineering applications. Jellyfish collagen scaffolds have demonstrated higher cell viability compared to other natural biomaterials, including bovine collagen. This makes jellyfish collagen a promising candidate for biomedical uses.
Terrestrial Sources: Beyond Bovine and Porcine
Leather Production Waste
Collagen can also be sourced from non-tanned waste materials in leather production, such as limed pelt, delimed pelt, and fleshings. This method not only provides a sustainable source of collagen but also promotes waste revalorization. Collagen extracted from delimed pelt has shown promising results in biomedical applications, such as promoting cell adhesion and growth.
Exotic Animals
Collagen can be extracted from a wide range of terrestrial animals, including less conventional sources like alligators and kangaroos. These sources are worth investigating due to the unique properties of collagen derived from different species. However, the use of these sources is less common in research and clinical applications compared to marine sources.
Recombinant Collagen: A Future Prospect
Recombinant collagen production is being explored as a potential solution to the limitations of animal-derived collagen, such as immunogenicity and pathogenic contamination. Although industrial-scale production of post-translationally modified recombinant human collagen has not yet been achieved, it remains a promising area of research.
Conclusion
The search for alternative natural sources of collagen is driven by the need for safer, more sustainable, and versatile materials. Marine sources, including fish, squid, and jellyfish, offer significant advantages in terms of safety and environmental impact. Additionally, unconventional terrestrial sources and recombinant technologies hold promise for future applications. As research continues, these diverse sources of collagen will likely play an increasingly important role in various industries, from biomedical to cosmetic and beyond.
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