Cellular proliferation on desamidated collagen matrices.

The attachment and growth of human skin keratinocytes (KR) and fibroblasts (FB) on collagen modified by desamidation were investigated. Unlike type I native collagen, desamidated collagen has a sharp iso-ionic pH (5.1) thereby making available either negative or positively charged biomolecules as and when required for a specific bio-application. The cytocompatibility of desamidated collagen prepared from bovine achilles tendons (DCA) and hide trimmings (DCH) was compared with the bovine type I collagen (NC). KR or FB were seeded onto the wells of tissue culture plates coated with the collagen preparations (DCA, DCH and NC). Cellular proliferation on each of these substrates was monitored by reduction of MITT ([3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-dimethyltetrazolium bromide] and by determining the DNA synthesis with [3H]thymidine. In both cases cells proliferated well indicating that DCA and DCH serve as good substrata and are biocompatible. Cell growth occurred without any morphological changes in cell appearance as observed from the phase-contrast microscopy of the cultures, indicating no toxicity of the material during the period studied.