Aligned tissue architecture is a
basic proviso for several organs
and tissues like intervertebral discs, tendons, ligaments, muscles,
and neurons, which comprises type-I collagen as an eminent extracellular
matrix (ECM) protein. Exploiting type-I collagen for the biofabrication
of aligned constructs via different approaches is becoming apparent,
as it comprises a major fraction of connective tissue, exhibits abundance
in ECM, and displays poor antigenicity and immunogenicity, along-with
the ease of remodelling adaptability. Collagen hydrogels or composite
scaffolds with uniaxial fibril alignment or unidirectional pore architecture
having different sizes and densities are being fabricated using electrical,
mechanical, and freeze-drying processes which are applicable for tissue
engineering and regenerative purposes. This review focuses on several
multifarious approaches employed to fabricate anisotropic structures
of type-I collagen which influences fibril alignment, pore architecture,
stiffness anisotropy, and enhanced mechanical strength and mimics
the tissue native microenvironment ushering cell niches to proliferate
and differentiate into tissue specific lineages.
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