IIT Hyderabad researchers produce collagen from eel skin
By Newsmeter Network Published on 26 Aug 2019 2:38 PM GMTHyderabad: Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad Researchers have produced collagen from waste eel skin and proved that the tissue scaffolds built using such collagen allow the growth of stem cells. Eel skin collagen that is less expensive and disease-causing organisms free can be used as an alternative to animal-derived collagen.
Dr Subha Narayan Rath said, āEel skin and fish skin wastes are commonly discarded in coastal areas, or even disposed of in the sea, which leads to a cascade of events due to breakdown of organic matter and reduction of oxygen levels in seawater.āThe research team derived collagen from eel skin by treating it with acetic acid, common salt and pepsin. The researchers then combined the collagen with alginate hydrogel and used a 3D printing process to obtain scaffolds.