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Marine Collagen: From Biological Insights to Biomedical Breakthroughs

A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomaterials of Marine Origin".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2025 | Viewed by 14171

Special Issue Editor

Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
Interests: marine collagen; biomaterials; 3D cell culture; organoids; spheroid; hydrogel; scaffold; cancer; immunology; cell biology; thymus regeneration; tissue engineering; circulating tumor cells
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, there has been rapidly growing interest in biomaterials for various in vitro and in vivo biomedical research and applications. Among these, collagen-based biomaterials have gained prominence, particularly in fields such as tissue engineering. However, the use of mammalian collagen presents challenges, including religious constraints, allergic or autoimmune reactions, and the risk of disease transmission from animals.

In recent decades, marine collagen (MC) has emerged as a promising alternative biomaterial for pharmacological and biomedical applications. Marine organisms provide a rich source of collagen, and MC offers several advantages over mammalian collagen, including water solubility, easy extractability, low immunogenicity, safety, biocompatibility, biodegradability, antimicrobial activity, functionality, and lower production costs. Due to its unique characteristics and physicobiochemical properties, MC holds tremendous potential as a scaffold biomaterial in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, drug delivery systems, and therapeutic applications.

This Special Issue, "Marine Collagen: From Biological Insights to Biomedical Breakthroughs," invites submissions that explore the latest developments, advancements, trends, challenges, and future perspectives in this exciting field. We welcome contributions from various areas of multidisciplinary research, ranging from fundamental studies (including extraction, purification, characterization, fabrication, and experimentation) to biotechnological, pharmacological, biomedical, and therapeutic applications of MC. Additionally, comprehensive review papers are also encouraged for submission.

We look forward to receiving valuable contributions to this Special Issue.

Dr. Sik Yoon
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Marine Drugs is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • marine collagen
  • extraction, purification, characterization, synthesis
  • scaffold, 3D cell culture, spheroid, tumoroid, organoid
  • biomaterial, biofabrication, nanofiber, nanocarrier
  • polymer, hydrogel, bioink, bioprinting
  • cytoprotection, tissue repair, regenerative medicine
  • tissue engineering, biomedical engineering, artificial organ
  • drug delivery, nanomedicine
  • disease modeling, diagnostic or therapeutic application
  • biomedical, pharmacological, or biotechnological application

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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41 pages, 18792 KB  
Article
A Robust Marine Collagen Peptide–Agarose 3D Culture System for In Vitro Modeling of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Anti-Cancer Therapeutic Development
by Lata Rajbongshi, Ji-Eun Kim, Jin-Eui Lee, Su-Rin Lee, Seon-Yeong Hwang, Yuna Kim, Young Mi Hong, Sae-Ock Oh, Byoung Soo Kim, Dongjun Lee and Sik Yoon
Mar. Drugs 2025, 23(10), 386; https://doi.org/10.3390/md23100386 - 27 Sep 2025
Viewed by 351
Abstract
The development of physiologically relevant three-dimensional (3D) culture systems is essential for modeling tumor complexity and improving the translational impact of cancer research. We established a 3D in vitro model of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using a marine collagen peptide-based (MCP-B) biomimetic hydrogel [...] Read more.
The development of physiologically relevant three-dimensional (3D) culture systems is essential for modeling tumor complexity and improving the translational impact of cancer research. We established a 3D in vitro model of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using a marine collagen peptide-based (MCP-B) biomimetic hydrogel scaffold optimized for multicellular spheroid growth. Compared with conventional two-dimensional (2D) cultures, the MCP-B hydrogel more accurately recapitulated native tumor biology while offering simplicity, reproducibility, bioactivity, and cost efficiency. HCC cells cultured in MCP-B hydrogel displayed tumor-associated behaviors, including enhanced proliferation, colony formation, migration, invasion, and chemoresistance, and enriched cancer stem cell (CSC) populations. Molecular analyses revealed upregulated expression of genes associated with multidrug resistance; stemness regulation and markers; epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) transcription factors, markers, and effectors; growth factors and their receptors; and cancer progression. The spheroids also retained liver-specific functions, suppressed apoptotic signaling, and exhibited extracellular matrix remodeling signatures. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the 3D HCC model using MCP-B hydrogel recapitulates key hallmarks of tumor biology and provides a robust, physiologically relevant platform for mechanistic studies of HCC and CSC biology. This model further holds translational value for preclinical drug screening and the development of novel anti-HCC and anti-CSC therapeutics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Collagen: From Biological Insights to Biomedical Breakthroughs)
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25 pages, 6099 KB  
Article
Marine Collagen from European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Waste for the Development of Chitosan/Collagen Scaffolds in Skin Tissue Engineering
by Alessandro Coppola, Maria Oliviero, Noemi De Cesare, Nello Russo, Noemi Nappo, Carmine Buonocore, Gerardo Della Sala, Pietro Tedesco, Fortunato Palma Esposito, Christian Galasso, Donatella de Pascale, Ugo D’Amora and Daniela Coppola
Mar. Drugs 2025, 23(10), 375; https://doi.org/10.3390/md23100375 - 25 Sep 2025
Viewed by 343
Abstract
Over the past years, with the growing interest in sustainable biomaterials, marine collagen has been emerging as an interesting alternative to bovine collagen. It is more easily absorbed by the body and has higher bioavailability. In this study, collagen was extracted from Dicentrarchus [...] Read more.
Over the past years, with the growing interest in sustainable biomaterials, marine collagen has been emerging as an interesting alternative to bovine collagen. It is more easily absorbed by the body and has higher bioavailability. In this study, collagen was extracted from Dicentrarchus labrax (sea bass) skin, a fishery by-product, thus valorizing waste streams while reducing environmental impact. To overcome the intrinsic weak mechanical of collagen, it was combined with chitosan to produce composite scaffolds for skin tissue engineering. The incorporation of collagen proved crucial for scaffold performance: (i) it promoted the formation of an open-pore architecture, favorable for cell infiltration and proliferation; (ii) it enhanced swelling behavior suitable for exudate absorption and maintenance of a moist wound environment; (iii) by tuning the chitosan/collagen ratio, it enabled us to control the degradation rate; (iv) it conferred antioxidant properties; and (iv) by adjusting collagen/chitosan concentrations, it allowed fine-tuning of mechanical properties, ensuring sufficient strength to resist stresses encountered during wound healing. In vitro assays demonstrated that the scaffolds were non-cytotoxic and effectively supported mouse adipose tissue fibroblasts’ adhesion and proliferation. Finally, all formulations exhibited marked bactericidal activity against the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus and the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, with a Log reduction greater than 3 (a reduction of at least 99.9% in bacterial growth) compared to the control. Collectively, these findings highlight collagen not only as a sustainable resource but also as a functional component that drives the structural, physicochemical, biological, and antimicrobial performance of chitosan/collagen scaffolds for skin tissue engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Collagen: From Biological Insights to Biomedical Breakthroughs)
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Review

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28 pages, 8350 KB  
Review
Jellyfish Collagen in the Mediterranean Spotlight: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities
by Ainara Ballesteros, Raquel Torres, Maria Pascual-Torner, Francisco Revert-Ros, Jose Tena-Medialdea, José Rafael García-March, Josep Lloret and Josep-Maria Gili
Mar. Drugs 2025, 23(5), 200; https://doi.org/10.3390/md23050200 - 3 May 2025
Viewed by 3883
Abstract
Research increasingly highlights jellyfish as a sustainable alternative to other animal species, particularly for its collagen, which has versatile applications in blue biotechnology. This review explores the properties of jellyfish-derived collagen, extraction techniques, and its diverse industrial applications based on the current scientific [...] Read more.
Research increasingly highlights jellyfish as a sustainable alternative to other animal species, particularly for its collagen, which has versatile applications in blue biotechnology. This review explores the properties of jellyfish-derived collagen, extraction techniques, and its diverse industrial applications based on the current scientific literature. With a particular focus on research in the Mediterranean Sea, we underscore the role of the order Rhizostomeae as jellyfish species with high collagen content and provide an overview of the main sources for jellyfish harvesting, including active fishing, by-catch, and aquaculture. In the Mediterranean basin, the blooming species Rhizostoma pulmo, Cotylorhiza tuberculata, and Rhopilema nomadica represent a valuable opportunity to harness their nutraceutical benefits, as well as their potential for the development of biomaterials in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Although jellyfish fishing is not yet well-established in the region, ongoing collaborative projects with fishermen’s guilds are focused on promoting circular and blue economy strategies to valorize jellyfish as an innovative resource. Additionally, jellyfish aquaculture emerges as a promising alternative for ensuring a sustainable supply, with the Rhizostomeae Cassiopea spp. demonstrating significant potential for biotechnological applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Collagen: From Biological Insights to Biomedical Breakthroughs)
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31 pages, 2812 KB  
Review
Recent Advancements in Marine Collagen: Exploring New Sources, Processing Approaches, and Nutritional Applications
by Joinul Islam and Kevin E. Mis Solval
Mar. Drugs 2025, 23(5), 190; https://doi.org/10.3390/md23050190 - 28 Apr 2025
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 8977
Abstract
Collagen is a structural protein found in the connective tissues of terrestrial and marine animals. Its diverse functional attributes span its applications in several industries, including food, supplements, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Typically derived from mammalian sources, collagen and its derivatives, including gelatin and [...] Read more.
Collagen is a structural protein found in the connective tissues of terrestrial and marine animals. Its diverse functional attributes span its applications in several industries, including food, supplements, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Typically derived from mammalian sources, collagen and its derivatives, including gelatin and collagen peptides, are essential for the food and supplement industries. Recently, marine collagen has emerged as a viable mammalian collagen alternative due to its unique functionality and sustainability. Marine vertebrates and invertebrates are reliable sources of marine collagen. Some marine organisms are promising sustainable sources of collagen for nutritional applications. Recent research highlights significant advances in marine collagen extraction, processing, and novel applications. Hence, recent interest has propelled research in identifying novel collagen sources and advancing technologies to produce marine collagen-based products. Considering the recent scientific interest in marine collagen, this review provides an overview of recent progress in marine collagen production, including novel sources, innovative processing technologies, nutritional and functional properties, safety and quality control, current challenges, and future research directions. The review highlights certain challenges, including unpleasant odor, flavor, color, insufficient supply, and inconsistent quality of marine collagen. Future research should focus on increasing the collagen extraction yield, improving the smell and flavor, and developing novel delivery systems to increase bioavailability and functionality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Collagen: From Biological Insights to Biomedical Breakthroughs)
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