Type I collagen is the most abundant collagen and is found in connective tissues including tendon, ligament, dermis and blood vessel. It is the major component and the primary determinant of tensile strength of the extracelluar 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, epithelial cells etc. In addition, collagen I can self-assemble into a 3-D superamolecular gel in vitro, making it an ideal biological scaffold to promote more in vivo-like cellular morphology and function.

Symbols/Related Terms:

• COL1A1
• COL1A2
• osteogenesis imperfecta