Search Results (28)

A number of marine resources have been exploited for a long time. Examples include Fucus and Laminaria, from which gelling agents are extracted. Only a few hundred thousand marine species are currently known, representing a tiny fraction of the estimated total of between 700,000 and one million species. This opens up numerous possibilities for innovation in the cosmetics industry. In this study, we present various species that are currently under-exploited, but which could have applications in hydration and photoprotection, for example. Algae and microalgae are worthy of interest because they can be used for hydration and anti-ageing purposes. Collagen can be extracted from animal sources and used as a substitute for collagen of bovine origin. From a marketing perspective, it is possible to market it as ‘marine collagen’. However, it is imperative to emphasize the significance of ensuring the sustainability of the resource. In accordance with this imperative, algae that are capable of being cultivated are distinguished by their enhanced qualities. Full article

Acellular tissue matrices of fish skin origin are highly promising materials for tissue engineering due to their low biological risks and few religious restrictions. The main component of acellular fish skin matrices (AFSMs) is collagen, but collagen properties significantly differ between marine and freshwater fish. Although the characteristics of acellular matrices may vary, relevant reports about them are few. In this study, we used cod and tilapia fish skin as raw materials to prepare acellular matrices with low DNA content (≤50 ng/mg) and low endotoxin. They were denoted as C-AFSM (cod) and T-AFSM (tilapia) and had endotoxin removal rates of 92.47% and 96.73%, respectively. Their physicochemical properties, cytotoxicity, and wound healing effects were evaluated and compared. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that C-AFSM and T-AFSM had collagenous meshwork and high porosity. They also did not induce skin irritations. Their proliferation rates on mouse fibroblasts at 36 h were 192.21% ± 33.25% and 162.89% ± 36.47%, respectively. The wound healing effect of C-AFSM was faster than that of T-AFSM group (7 and 14 days: 45.3% ± 5.99% and 93.77% ± 1.58% for C-AFSM and 39.7% ± 2.84% and 93.35% ± 1.1% for T-AFSM, respectively). Therefore, the two acellular fish skin matrices can be used as tissue-engineering materials for wound repair, with C-AFSM being more effective than T-AFSM. Full article

This review is focused on the research, innovation and technological breakthroughs on marine invertebrate collagens and their applications. The findings reveal that research dates back to the 1970s, and after a period of reduced activity, interest in collagens from several marine invertebrate groups was renewed around 2008, likely driven by the increased commercial interest in these biomolecules of marine origin. Research and development are predominantly reported from China and Japan, highlighting significant research interest in cnidarians (jellyfish), echinoderms (sea cucumbers, sea urchins and starfish), molluscs (squid and cuttlefish) and sponges. Co-word analysis of the literature highlights applications in regenerative medicine, the properties of hydrolysates, and biology and biochemistry studies. Innovation and the technological landscape, however, focus on fewer taxonomic groups, possibly reflecting the challenge of sustainably sourcing raw materials, with a higher number of patents coming from Asia. Globally, jellyfish collagen is the most prominent marine invertebrate source, while Asia also emphasizes the use of collagens derived from molluscs and sea cucumbers. Europe, despite fewer patents, explores a broader range of taxonomic groups. Globally, key applications registered are mostly in medical, dental and toiletry areas, with peptide preparations spanning multiple animal groups. The food domain is notably relevant for molluscs and sea cucumbers. Market trends show a strong presence of cosmetic and supplement products, aligning with market reports that predict a growing demand for marine collagens in cosmetics and personalized nutrition, particularly in targeted health supplements. Full article

Collagen is a popular nutricosmetic ingredient in food supplements due to its anti-aging and other positive effects on the skin. Due to its widespread use and the lack of regulation in this area, appropriate quality control is required to ensure efficacy and safety, with the development of analytical methods playing an important role. Currently, the quantitative determination of collagen is mainly based on time-consuming derivatization-based spectroscopic methods or on complex chromatographic methods with mass spectrometric detection. Therefore, in this study, two new, simple chromatographic methods have been developed. One is intended for the analysis of untreated samples and is characterized by the speed and simplicity of sample preparation. The other method quantifies collagen via the underivatized tripeptide Gly-Pro-Hyp formed by bacterial collagenase hydrolysis and is characterized by its specificity and ability to distinguish between marine and terrestrial collagen. The latter is a novelty in the field of simple methods for collagen analysis and is particularly important in terms of safety. Our comparison with established analytical methods (e.g., via hydroxyproline after complete hydrolysis) for collagen analysis undoubtedly showed the superiority of these new methods for the routine quality control of collagen supplements in terms of specificity, repeatability, sample stability, and simplification in sample preparation. The collagen content in the supplements tested was found to be adequate; however, some discrepancies were found regarding the labeling and origin of the collagen, with possible safety implications. Full article

Chondrosia reniformis is a collagen-rich marine sponge that is considered a sustainable and viable option for producing an alternative to mammalian-origin collagens. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the properties of collagen isolated from different sponge parts, namely the outer region, or cortex, (ectosome) and the inner region (choanosome), and how it affects the development of biomaterials. In this study, a brief histological analysis focusing on C. reniformis collagen spatial distribution and a comprehensive comparative analysis between collagen isolated from ectosome and choanosome are presented. The isolated collagen characterization was based on isolation yield, Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), circular dichroism (CD), SDS-PAGE, dot blot, and amino acid composition, as well as their cytocompatibility envisaging the development of future biomedical applications. An isolation yield of approximately 20% was similar for both sponge parts, as well as the FTIR, CD, and SDS-PAGE profiles, which demonstrated that both isolated collagens presented a high purity degree and preserved their triple helix and fibrillar conformation. Ectosome collagen had a higher OHpro content and possessed collagen type I and IV, while the choanosome was predominately constituted by collagen type IV. In vitro cytotoxicity assays using the L929 fibroblast cell line displayed a significant cytotoxic effect of choanosome collagen at 2 mg/mL, while ectosome collagen enhanced cell metabolism and proliferation, thus indicating the latter as being more suitable for the development of biomaterials. This research represents a unique comparative study of C. reniformis body parts, serving as a support for further establishing this marine sponge as a promising alternative collagen source for the future development of biomedical applications. Full article

Aquatic habitats cover almost 70% of the Earth, containing several species contributing to marine biodiversity. Marine and aquatic organisms are rich in chemical compounds that can be widely used in biomedicine (dentistry, pharmacy, cosmetology, etc.) as alternative raw biomaterials or in food supplements. Their structural characteristics make them promising candidates for tissue engineering approaches in regenerative medicine. Thus, seaweeds, marine sponges, arthropods, cnidaria, mollusks, and the biomaterials provided by them, such as alginate, vitamins, laminarin, collagen, chitin, chitosan, gelatin, hydroxyapatite, biosilica, etc., are going to be discussed focusing on the biomedical applications of these marine-originated biomaterials. The ultimate goal is to highlight the sustainability of the use of these biomaterials instead of conventional ones, mainly due to the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and anticancer effect. Full article

Bioactive peptides have gained significant attention in the cosmetic industry due to their potential in enhancing skin health and beauty. These small protein fragments exhibit various biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities, making them ideal ingredients for cosmetic formulations. These bioactive peptides are classified into four categories: signal, carrier, neurotransmitter-inhibitory, and enzyme-inhibitory peptides. This review provides insight into applying bioactive peptides in cosmetics and their mechanisms of action (e.g., downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, radical scavenging, inhibiting collagen, tyrosinase, and elastase synthesis). The abundant natural origins (e.g., animals, plants, and marine sources) have been identified as primary sources for extractions of cosmetic peptides through various techniques (e.g., enzymatic hydrolysis, ultrafiltration, fermentation, and high-performance liquid chromatography). Furthermore, the safety and regulatory aspects of using peptides in cosmetics are examined, including potential allergic reactions and regulatory guidelines. Finally, the challenges of peptides in cosmetics are discussed, emphasizing the need for further research to fully harness their potential in enhancing skin health. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive understanding of the application of peptides in cosmetics, shedding light on their transformative role in developing innovative and effective skincare products. Full article

Research in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has an ever-increasing need for innovative biomaterials suitable for the production of wound-dressing devices and artificial skin-like substitutes. Marine collagen is one of the most promising biomaterials for the production of such devices. In this study, for the first time, 2D collagen membranes (2D-CMs) created from the extracellular matrix extract of the marine demosponge Chondrosia reniformis have been evaluated in vitro as possible tools for wound healing. Fibrillar collagen was extracted from a pool of fresh animals and used for the creation of 2D-CMs, in which permeability to water, proteins, and bacteria, and cellular response in the L929 fibroblast cell line were evaluated. The biodegradability of the 2D-CMs was also assessed by following their degradation in PBS and collagenase solutions for up to 21 days. Results showed that C. reniformis-derived membranes avoided liquid and protein loss in the regeneration region and also functioned as a strong barrier against bacteria infiltration into a wound. Gene expression analyses on fibroblasts stated that their interaction with 2D-CMs is able to improve fibronectin production without interfering with the regular extracellular matrix remodeling processes. These findings, combined with the high extraction yield of fibrillar collagen obtained from C. reniformis with a solvent-free approach, underline how important further studies on the aquaculture of this sponge could be for the sustainable production and biotechnological exploitation of this potentially promising and peculiar biopolymer of marine origin. Full article

The self-repair capacity of human tissue is limited, motivating the arising of tissue engineering (TE) in building temporary scaffolds that envisage the regeneration of human tissues, including articular cartilage. However, despite the large number of preclinical data available, current therapies are not yet capable of fully restoring the entire healthy structure and function on this tissue when significantly damaged. For this reason, new biomaterial approaches are needed, and the present work proposes the development and characterization of innovative polymeric membranes formed by blending marine origin polymers, in a chemical free cross-linking approach, as biomaterials for tissue regeneration. The results confirmed the production of polyelectrolyte complexes molded as membranes, with structural stability resulting from natural intermolecular interactions between the marine biopolymers collagen, chitosan and fucoidan. Furthermore, the polymeric membranes presented adequate swelling ability without compromising cohesiveness (between 300 and 600%), appropriate surface properties, revealing mechanical properties similar to native articular cartilage. From the different formulations studied, the ones performing better were the ones produced with 3 % shark collagen, 3% chitosan and 10% fucoidan, as well as with 5% jellyfish collagen, 3% shark collagen, 3% chitosan and 10% fucoidan. Overall, the novel marine polymeric membranes demonstrated to have promising chemical, and physical properties for tissue engineering approaches, namely as thin biomaterial that can be applied over the damaged articular cartilage aiming its regeneration. Full article

Marine environments cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface and are among the richest and most complex ecosystems. In terms of biodiversity, the ocean represents an important source, still not widely exploited, of bioactive products derived from species of bacteria, plants, and animals. However, global warming, in combination with multiple anthropogenic practices, represents a serious environmental problem that has led to an increase in gelatinous zooplankton, a phenomenon referred to as jellyfish bloom. In recent years, the idea of “sustainable development” has emerged as one of the essential elements of green-economy initiatives; therefore, the marine environment has been re-evaluated and considered an important biological resource. Several bioactive compounds of marine origin are being studied, and among these, marine collagen represents one of the most attractive bio-resources, given its use in various disciplines, such as clinical applications, cosmetics, the food sector, and many other industrial applications. This review aims to provide a current overview of marine collagen applications in the pharmacological and biomedical fields, regenerative medicine, and cell therapy. Full article

Collagen is the most ubiquitous biomacromolecule found in the animal kingdom and is commonly used as a biomaterial in regenerative medicine therapies and biomedical research. The collagens used in these applications are typically derived from mammalian sources which poses sociological issues due to widespread religious constraints, rising ethical concern over animal rights and the continuous risk of zoonotic disease transmission. These issues have led to increasing research into alternative collagen sources, of which marine collagens, in particular from jellyfish, have emerged as a promising resource. This study provides a characterization of the biophysical properties and cell adhesion interactions of collagen derived from the jellyfish Rhizostoma pulmo (JCol). Circular dichroism spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to observe the triple-helical conformation and fibrillar morphology of JCol. Heparin-affinity chromatography was also used to demonstrate the ability of JCol to bind to immobilized heparin. Cell adhesion assays using integrin blocking antibodies and HT-1080 human fibrosarcoma cells revealed that adhesion to JCol is primarily performed via β1 integrins, with the exception of α2β1 integrin. It was also shown that heparan sulfate binding plays a much greater role in fibroblast and mesenchymal stromal cell adhesion to JCol than for type I mammalian collagen (rat tail collagen). Overall, this study highlights the similarities and differences between collagens from mammalian and jellyfish origins, which should be considered when utilizing alternative collagen sources for biomedical research. Full article

Corneal pathologies from infectious or noninfectious origin have a significant impact on the daily lives of millions of people worldwide. Despite the risk of organ rejection or infection, corneal transplantation is currently the only effective treatment. Finding safe and innovative strategies is the main goal of tissue-engineering-based approaches. In this study, the potential of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels produced from marine-derived gelatin and loaded with ascorbic acid (as an enhancer of the biological activity of cells) was evaluated for corneal stromal applications. Marine GelMA was synthesized with a methacrylation degree of 75%, enabling effective photocrosslinking, and hydrogels with or without ascorbic acid were produced, encompassing human keratocytes. All the produced formulations exhibited excellent optical and swelling properties with easy handling as well as structural stability and adequate degradation rates that may allow proper extracellular matrix remodeling by corneal stromal cells. Formulations loaded with 0.5 mg/mL of ascorbic acid enhanced the biological performance of keratocytes and induced collagen production. These results suggest that, in addition to marine-derived gelatin being suitable for the synthesis of GelMA, the hydrogels produced are promising biomaterials for corneal regeneration applications. Full article

Ocean resources are a priceless repository of unique species and bioactive compounds with denouement properties that can be used in the fabrication of advanced biomaterials as new templates for supporting the cell culture envisaging tissue engineering approaches. The collagen of marine origin can be sustainably isolated from the underrated fish processing industry by-products, while silica and related materials can be found in the spicules of marine sponges and diatoms frustules. Aiming to address the potential of biomaterials composed from marine collagen and silica-based materials in the context of bone regeneration, four different 3D porous structure formulations (COL, COL:BG, COL:D.E, and COL:BS) were fabricated by freeze-drying. The skins of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) were used as raw materials for the collagen (COL) isolation, which was successfully characterized by SDS-PAGE, FTIR, CD, and amino acid analyses, and identified as a type I collagen, produced with a 1.5% yield and a preserved characteristic triple helix conformation. Bioactive glass 45S5 bioglass^® (BG), diatomaceous earth (D.E.) powder, and biosilica (BS) isolated from the Axinella infundibuliformis sponge were chosen as silica-based materials, which were obtained as microparticles and characterized by distinct morphological features. The biomaterials revealed microporous structures, showing a porosity higher than 85%, a mean pore size range of 138–315 μm depending on their composition, with 70% interconnectivity which can be favorable for cell migration and ensure the needed nutrient supply. In vitro, biological assays were conducted by culturing L929 fibroblast-like cells, which confirmed not only the non-toxic nature of the developed biomaterials but also their capability to support cell adhesion and proliferation, particularly the COL:BS biomaterials, as observed by calcein-AM staining upon seven days of culture. Moreover, phalloidin and DAPI staining revealed well-spread cells, populating the entire construct. This study established marine collagen/silica biocomposites as potential scaffolds for tissue engineering, setting the basis for future studies, particularly envisaging the regeneration of non-load-bearing bone tissues. Full article

The successful integration of transplanted three-dimensional tissue engineering (TE) constructs depends greatly on their rapid vascularization. Therefore, it is essential to address this vascularization issue in the initial design of constructs for perfused tissues. Two of the most important variables in this regard are scaffold composition and cell sourcing. Collagens with marine origins overcome some issues associated with mammal-derived collagen while maintaining their advantages in terms of biocompatibility. Concurrently, the freshly isolated stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of adipose tissue has been proposed as an advantageous cell fraction for vascularization purposes due to its highly angiogenic properties, allowing extrinsic angiogenic growth factor-free vascularization strategies for TE applications. In this study, we aimed at understanding whether marine collagen 3D matrices could support cryopreserved human SVF in maintaining intrinsic angiogenic properties observed for fresh SVF. For this, cryopreserved human SVF was seeded on blue shark collagen sponges and cultured up to 7 days in a basal medium. The secretome profile of several angiogenesis-related factors was studied throughout culture times and correlated with the expression pattern of CD31 and CD146, which showed the formation of a prevascular network. Upon in ovo implantation, increased vessel recruitment was observed in prevascularized sponges when compared with sponges without SVF cells. Immunohistochemistry for CD31 demonstrated the improved integration of prevascularized sponges within chick chorioalantoic membrane (CAM) tissues, while in situ hybridization showed human cells lining blood vessels. These results demonstrate the potential of using cryopreserved SVF combined with marine collagen as a streamlined approach to improve the vascularization of TE constructs. Full article

Foods are complex systems due to their biological origin. Biological materials are soft matter hierarchically structured on all scales from molecules to tissues. The structure reflects the biological constraints of the organism and the function of the tissue. The structural properties influence the texture and hence the mouthfeel of foods prepared from the tissue, and the presence of flavour compounds is similarly determined by biological function. Cephalopods, such as squid, cuttlefish, and octopuses, are notoriously known for having challenging texture due to their muscles being muscular hydrostats with highly cross-linked collagen. Similar with other marine animals such as fish and crustaceans, cephalopods are rich in certain compounds such as free amino acids and free 5′-ribonucleotides that together elicit umami taste. Scientific investigations of culinary applications of cephalopods as foods must therefore involve mechanical studies (texture analysis), physicochemical measurements of thermodynamic properties (protein denaturation), as well as chemical analysis (taste and aroma compounds). The combination of such basic science investigations of food as a soft material along with an exploration of the gastronomic potential has been termed gastrophysics. In this review paper, we reviewed available gastrophysical studies of cephalopod structure, texture, and taste both as raw, soft material and in certain preparations. Full article