Researchers turn viruses into molecular Legos

Researchers at the University of California have developed a technique of using viruses to create a material that mimics collagen. As we have learned in physiology and biology, collagen is one of the most abundant and important structural proteins in the body. In fact, collagen makes up about 25-35% of the whole-body protein content.

When collagen is organized in different ways, different types of material with speacialized traits form. Aligning collagen in a perpendicular, grid-like patttern creates a transparent material that is very similiar to the corneal tissue. Creating a twisted layer of collagen results in a iridescent material. And if you want a material similar to bone, the collagen must be mineralized and in a hierarchial structure.

The researchers created a system where the viruses did all the work and created a collagen film by pulling glass out of a viral bath at very low speeds. By tuning the speed and the concentation of viruses, the researchers could create different structures of collagen with unique functions.




The new collagen films have many applications such as tissue-guiding templates or with time the films may lead to the creation of complex biological tissues such as cornea, bones, and skin.


http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2011/10/19/researchers-turn-viruses-into-molecular-legos/