Collagen of porcine auricle has unique biochemical and biophysical characteristics

Collagen is a major component of the extracellular matrix and is used as a material in tissue engineering. We demonstrated the extraction of atelocollagen from porcine auricular and characterized its unique physical and biochemical properties. Extracted type I collagens of auricular collagen using acetic acid and pepsin (PAC) showed superior fibrillogenesis and viscoelasticity compared to type I collagen from porcine skin. The observation of PAC fibrils by transmission electron microscopy and Atomic Force Microscope under physiological conditions revealed long fibrils with pronounced 3D structures, while type I collagen from porcine skin revealed a flat structure. Furthermore, a PAC-coated plate promoted higher cell proliferation than when grown on a skin type I collagen-coated plate. Porcine auricular type I collagen has superior biophysical and biological properties in terms of viscoelasticity, fibrillogenesis, and cell proliferation, and can be used in further studies toward novel potential applications in the field of medical materials.