Collagen is the most abundant structural protein found in humans and mammals, particularly in the extracellular matrix (ECM). Its primary function is to hold the body together. The collagen superfamily of proteins includes over 20 types that have been identified. Yet, collagen type I is the major component in many tissues and can be extracted as a natural biomaterial for various medical and biological purposes. Collagen has multiple advantageous characteristics, including varied sources, biocompatibility, sustainability, low immunogenicity, porosity, and biodegradability. As such, collagen-type-I-based bioscaffolds have been widely used in tissue engineering. Biomaterials based on collagen type I can also be modified to improve their functions, such as by crosslinking to strengthen the mechanical property or adding biochemical factors to enhance their biological activity. This review discusses the complexities of collagen type I structure, biosynthesis, sources for collagen derivatives, methods of isolation and purification, physicochemical characteristics, and the current development of collagen-type-I-based scaffolds in tissue engineering applications. The advancement of additional novel tissue engineered bioproducts with refined techniques and continuous biomaterial augmentation is facilitated by understanding the conventional design and application of biomaterials based on collagen type I.

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a chronic wound frequently delayed from severe infection. Wound dressing provides an essential barrier between the ulcer and the external environment. This review aimed to analyse the effectiveness of antibacterial collagen-based dressing for DFU treatment in a clinical setting. An electronic search in four databases, namely, Scopus, PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE(R), and ISI Web of Science, was performed to obtain relevant articles published within the last ten years. The published studies were included if they reported evidence of (1) collagen-based antibacterial dressing or (2) wound healing for diabetic ulcers, and (3) were written in English. Both randomised and non-randomised clinical trials were included. The search for relevant clinical studies (n) identified eight related references discussing the effectiveness of collagen-based antibacterial wound dressings for DFU comprising collagen impregnated with polyhexamethylene biguanide (n = 2), gentamicin (n = 3), combined-cellulose and silver (n = 1), gentian violet/methylene blue mixed (n = 1), and silver (n = 1). The clinical data were limited by small sample sizes and multiple aetiologies of chronic wounds. The evidence was not robust enough for a conclusive statement, although most of the studies reported positive outcomes for the use of collagen dressings loaded with antibacterial properties for DFU wound healing. This study emphasises the importance of having standardised clinical trials, larger sample sizes, and accurate reporting for reliable statistical evidence confirming DFU treatment efficiency.

Burns are a widespread global public health traumatic injury affecting many people worldwide. Non-fatal burn injuries are a leading cause of morbidity, resulting in prolonged hospitalization, disfigurement, and disability, often with resulting stigma and rejection. The treatment of burns is aimed at controlling pain, removing dead tissue, preventing infection, reducing scarring risk, and tissue regeneration. Traditional burn wound treatment methods include the use of synthetic materials such as petroleum-based ointments and plastic films. However, these materials can be associated with negative environmental impacts and may not be biocompatible with the human body. Tissue engineering has emerged as a promising approach to treating burns, and sustainable biomaterials have been developed as an alternative treatment option. Green biomaterials such as collagen, cellulose, chitosan, and others are biocompatible, biodegradable, environment-friendly, and cost-effective, which reduces the environmental impact of their production and disposal. They are effective in promoting wound healing and reducing the risk of infection and have other benefits such as reducing inflammation and promoting angiogenesis. This comprehensive review focuses on the use of multifunctional green biomaterials that have the potential to revolutionize the way we treat skin burns, promoting faster and more efficient healing while minimizing scarring and tissue damage.

Silicon has made its breakthrough in various industries, including clinical and biomedical applications. Silicon-based biomaterials that were fabricated into various types of scaffolds may attract interest due to their highly favorable properties covering their excellent biocompatibility, high surface area, mechanical strength, and selectivity depending on their application including film, hydrogel, nanoparticles, and so on. Silicon-based materials have also shown exciting results involving cell culture, cell growth, as well as tissue engineering. In this article, a simple review compromising the evaluation of silicon’s unique properties has been discussed and followed by the application of the silicone-based product in future perspectives in biomedical fields. The review goals are to widen and inspire broader interest in silicone-based materials in wound healing research.

Transdermal drug delivery minimizes pain and provides a controlled, stable release of drugs, but its effectiveness is limited by the skin’s natural barriers. Microneedles overcome this problem, enabling minimally invasive drug delivery. Microneedle patches (MNPs) with 80 µm-tall needles composed of hyaluronic acid (HA) were developed and evaluated for their formability, structural integrity, dissolution rate, skin penetration ability, and drug transmission capacity. The influence of the molecular weight of HA on these properties was also investigated. MNPs made from low-molecular-weight HA (30 kDa–50 kDa) demonstrated 12.5 times superior drug permeability in ex vivo human skin compared to needleless patches (NLPs). Furthermore, in the same test, low-molecular-weight HA MNPs had 1.7 times higher drug permeability than high-molecular-weight HA MNPs, suggesting superior transdermal administration. The molecular weight of HA significantly influenced its solubility and permeability, highlighting the potential effectiveness of MNPs as drug delivery systems. Puncture tests demonstrated a penetration depth of 50–60 µm, indicating minimal nerve irritation in the dermis and effective drug delivery to the superficial dermal layer. These results present a manufacturing technique for MNPs incorporating model drug compounds and highlight their potential as a novel and minimally invasive drug delivery method for the biomedical applications of soft gels.

Tissue engineering products have grown in popularity as a therapeutic approach for chronic wounds and burns. However, some drawbacks include additional steps and a lack of antibacterial capacities, both of which need to be addressed to treat wounds effectively. This study aimed to develop an acellular, ready-to-use ovine tendon collagen type I (OTC-I) bioscaffold with an antibacterial coating for the immediate treatment of skin wounds and to prevent infection post-implantation. Two types of crosslinkers, 0.1% genipin (GNP) and dehydrothermal treatment (DHT), were explored to optimise the material strength and biodegradability compared with a non-crosslinked (OTC) control. Carvone plasma polymerisation (ppCar) was conducted to deposit an antibacterial protective coating. Various parameters were performed to investigate the physicochemical properties, mechanical properties, microstructures, biodegradability, thermal stability, surface wettability, antibacterial activity and biocompatibility of the scaffolds on human skin cells between the different crosslinkers, with and without plasma polymerisation. GNP is a better crosslinker than DHT because it demonstrated better physicochemical properties (27.33 ± 5.69% vs. 43 ± 7.64% shrinkage), mechanical properties (0.15 ± 0.15 MPa vs. 0.07 ± 0.08 MPa), swelling (2453 ± 419.2% vs. 1535 ± 392.9%), biodegradation (0.06 ± 0.06 mg/h vs. 0.15 ± 0.16 mg/h), microstructure and biocompatibility. Similarly, its ppCar counterpart, GNPppCar, presents promising results as a biomaterial with enhanced antibacterial properties. Plasma-polymerised carvone on a crosslinked collagen scaffold could also support human skin cell proliferation and viability while preventing infection. Thus, GNPppCar has potential for the rapid treatment of healing wounds.