Collagen Self-assembly: Biophysics and Biosignaling for Advanced Tissue Generation

Type I collagen is the predominant protein in the body and the extracellular matrix, where it gives rise to the vast diversity of tissue form and function. Within the extracellular matrix, this natural polymer exists as the fibrillar scaffolding that not only dictates tissue-specific structure and mechanical properties but also interacts with cells and other biomolecules to orchestrate complex processes associated with tissue development, homeostasis, and repair. For this reason, the hierarchical self-assembly of collagen molecules and their inherent biochemical and biophysical signaling capacity have been a long-standing subject of study across multiple disciplines, including structural biochemistry, biomechanics, biomaterials and tissue engineering, computational modeling, and medicine. This review works to capture some of the major discoveries and innovative technologies related to the supramolecular assembly of collagen in vivo and in vitro, with a focus on motivating their integration and application for advanced tissue fabrication and regenerative medicine therapies.