Method for Producing A Collagen Membrane and Uses Thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of producing a collagen membrane that has particular mechanical properties. In particular, the present invention relates to a method A of producing a collagen membrane comprising the steps of (i) isolating a collagen-containing tissue and incubating same in an ethanol solution; (ii) incubating the collagen-containing tissue from step (i) in a first solution comprising an inorganic salt and an anionic surfactant in order to denature non-collagenous proteins contained therein; (iii) incubating the collagen-containing tissue produced in step (ii) in a second solution comprising an inorganic acid until the collagen in said material is denatured; and (iv) incubating the collagen-containing tissue produced in step (iii) in a third solution comprising an inorganic acid with simultaneous mechanical stimulation for sufficient time to enable the collagen bundles in said collagen-containing tissue to align; wherein the mechanical stimulation comprises applying tension cyclically to the collagen-containing tissue.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of producing a collagen-containing membrane, the method comprising the steps of:
 (i) incubating an isolated collagen-containing tissue in an ethanol solution;   (ii) incubating the collagen-containing tissue from step (i) in a solution comprising an inorganic salt selected from the group consisting of trimethylammonium chloride, tetramethylammonium chloride, sodium chloride, lithium chloride, perchlorate and trifluoromethanesulfonate and an anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, and alkyl aryl sulfonates in order to denature non-collagenous proteins contained therein;   (iii) incubating the collagen-containing tissue produced in step (ii) in a solution comprising HCl until the collagen in said tissue is denatured; and   (iv) manipulating the collagen-containing tissue produced in step (iii) using simultaneous mechanical stimulation for sufficient time to enable collagen bundles in said collagen-containing tissue to align and incubating said tissue in a solution comprising an HCl until the collagen-containing membrane is produced;   wherein the mechanical stimulation comprises applying tension cyclically to the collagen-containing tissue.