Type I collagen, a fibrous protein abundant in connective tissues such as the tendon, ligament, dermis and blood vessels, is the major component and the primary determinant of tensile strength of the extracellular matrix (ECM). It is widely used as a thin layer on tissue-culture surfaces to enhance the attachment and proliferation of a variety of cells including endothelial cells, fibroblasts, hepatocytes, and epithelial cells. In addition, collagen I can self-assemble into a 3-D supramolecular gel in vitro, making it an ideal biological scaffold to promote more in vivo-like cellular morphology and function.

The ScienCell™ collagen I-Cell Culture Surface Coating Kit includes collagen I purified from rat tail tendon by modification of the Bell Method and supplied as a sterile liquid in 1/1000 acetic acid [1]. The kit also includes a 100× collagen I solvent, which can be used to dilute collagen I to the appropriate concentration for the coating of cell culture vessels.