{"title":"Functionalized collagen-based biomaterials via self-assembly: implications for gastrointestinal health","authors":"Qin Ma, Yuanmeng He, Yunxiang He, Yue Wu, Qinling Liu, Yulin Guan, Lie Yang, Junling Guo","doi":"10.1186/s42825-025-00217-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42825-025-00217-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Collagen, one of the most abundant proteins in human physiology, maintains the morphology and structure of skin and tissues, serving as an important raw material for the repair of damaged tissues. Collagen's widespread application in biomedicine stems from its myriad beneficial properties, including its diverse sourcing, exceptional biocompatibility, sustainability, low immunogenicity, porous nature, and biodegradability. In addition, collagen can self-assemble with other molecules through multiple interactions to form a variety of structures, thereby enhancing its biological functions. In recent years, gastrointestinal diseases have attracted much attention due to their high prevalence and complexity. In this context, collagen-based biomaterials, such as collagen scaffolds and hydrogels, have demonstrated an important role in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. This review aims to summarize the research progress of collagen-based biomaterials for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases in recent years, with a focus on their self-assembly properties and application advantages. Our goal is to explore innovative methods for producing collagen-based biomaterials, aiming to broaden their potential applications and enhance precise therapeutic effects to expand their clinical applications.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":640,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Leather Science and Engineering","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s42825-025-00217-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145778924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xueling Yi, Duanyang Luo, Siqi Liu, Yanxu Chen, Jin Guo, Qingyu Yan, Hui Mao
{"title":"An environmentally benign chelative biosorbent for efficient adsorption remediation of tetracycline contamination","authors":"Xueling Yi, Duanyang Luo, Siqi Liu, Yanxu Chen, Jin Guo, Qingyu Yan, Hui Mao","doi":"10.1186/s42825-025-00230-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42825-025-00230-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Antibiotic contamination has been a concerning environmental issue due to its potential threats to the development of drug-resistant bacteria and genes. Plant polyphenols were employed as biomolecule chelating ligands to graft onto collagen fibers, followed by the chelative immobilization of Fe ions. The as-obtained environmentally benign chelative biosorbent (CFBT-Fe) features a classic fibrous structure, excellent distribution and reservation of Fe ions, increased thermal stability, and inhibited swelling behavior owing to the introduction of bayberry tannin. An exceptional adsorption capacity of tetracycline on CFBT-Fe is exhibited across a broad pH range (3.0–10.0). Optimal adsorption capacity (31.30 mg/g) occurs at neutral pH 7.0, which is higher than many other similar biosorbents reported in the literature. The CFBT-Fe exhibits exceptional recyclability with sixth-cycle adsorption performance at 25.27 mg/g. The environmentally benign coordinative biosorbent is considered a promising candidate for the effective adsorptive removal of tetracycline from aquatic environments across a wide pH range.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":640,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Leather Science and Engineering","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s42825-025-00230-9.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145730163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiaqi Lu, Qunna Xu, Jianzhong Ma, Xiaoyu Xu, Yuan Zhao, Yao Pu, Yanting Deng, Kai Yan, Yan Zong, Qianqian Fan
{"title":"Recent progress in protein-based food packaging films","authors":"Jiaqi Lu, Qunna Xu, Jianzhong Ma, Xiaoyu Xu, Yuan Zhao, Yao Pu, Yanting Deng, Kai Yan, Yan Zong, Qianqian Fan","doi":"10.1186/s42825-025-00231-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42825-025-00231-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>With the increase in global plastic pollution and the growing need for sustainable development, the food packaging industry is experiencing an unprecedented paradigm shift. New food packaging technologies that address environmental concerns while maintaining food quality and safety are continuously being developed. In this regard, biodegradable films derived from animal and plant proteins have shown considerable potential. These films show advantages due to their sustainable sourcing, excellent film-forming properties, and complete biodegradability and are thus suitable for the packaging industry. This review discusses various types of biodegradable protein-based packaging films, their preparation techniques, and their applications within the food packaging sector. Moreover, it comprehensively explores the potential challenges and opportunities in smart food packaging based on these films. Accordingly, this review highlights the potential of protein-based packaging films to emerge as dominant materials in food packaging.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":640,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Leather Science and Engineering","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s42825-025-00231-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145674867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The degradation rate of collagen-based hydrogels regulates chondrogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells","authors":"Qingli Liu, Wenling Dai, Yongli Gao, Shikui Li, Xingchen Zhao, Hengxing Jia, Yanfei Tan, Likun Guo, Yujiang Fan, Xingdong Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s42825-025-00221-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42825-025-00221-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Dynamic degradation of three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds is essential for cellular extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and neo-tissue formation. Collagen I (Col I)-based hydrogel scaffolds, which exhibit chondroinductive properties, have important applications in cartilage tissue engineering. However, Col I hydrogels are susceptible to rapid degradation, thereby limiting their application in tissue engineering. It remains unclear whether the degradation rate of Col I hydrogels influences their chondroinductive capacity. The present research aimed to investigate the effects of degradation rate of Col I hydrogels on the chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In this work, methacrylated collagen (MC) with varying degrees of substitution (DS) was synthesized by reacting Col I with methacrylic anhydride (MA) and designated as MC10, MC30, MC50 and MC80, respectively. The corresponding collagen-based hydrogels with different degradation rates were fabricated following incubation and photo-crosslinking. Although MA modification did not significantly alter the characteristic conformation of collagen molecules, the density of the internal fiber network within the hydrogels formed by MCs increased with the increase of grafting degree. The degradation rate of MC hydrogels was inversely related to the extent of collagen methacrylation. A higher degree of modification resulted in a lower proliferation rate of MSCs encapsulated within the hydrogels. MSCs were encapsulated in these collagen-based hydrogels and underwent chondrogenesis under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. The degradation rate of collagen-based hydrogels was found to significantly influence both the contraction of hydrogel-MSC constructs and cell proliferation. Both MC10 and MC30 hydrogels, with suitably moderated degradation rates, more efficiently promoted chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs in both in vitro culture and in vivo ectopic implantation models. Furthermore, the degradation kinetics of MC30 hydrogels more closely matched the tempo of in vivo chondrogenesis, and accordingly, MC30 constructs demonstrated enhanced repair capacity in models of in situ cartilage regeneration. Therefore, the degradation rate of collagen-based hydrogels serves as a dynamic cue that influences chondrogenesis by modulating the tissue-inductive capacity of the scaffolds. Thus, precise regulation of scaffold degradation rate is essential for the rational design of cartilage tissue engineering scaffolds.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":640,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Leather Science and Engineering","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://JLSE.SpringerOpen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s42825-025-00221-w","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145561218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Injectable hydrogels with tailored recombinant humanized collagen type I for the repair of damaged hearts by remodeling the myocardial microenvironment","authors":"Cheng Hu, Wenqi Liu, Jian Wang, Chen Hua, Linyu Long, Xia Yang, Lu Lu, Yun Zhu, Li Yang, Yunbing Wang, Xingdong Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s42825-025-00212-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42825-025-00212-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Heart failure or myocardial infarction (MI) is among the leading causes of death worldwide. However, current therapeutic procedures, including pharmacological interventions and ventricular assist devices, are unable to reverse the pathological changes and regenerate the injured cardiac tissue. Here, tailored recombinant humanized collagen type I (rhCol I) with high bioactivity for myocardial tissue-related cells was loaded into injectable hydrogels to construct a microenvironment favorable for angiogenesis, myocardial tissue repair and the restoration of heart function after MI. rhCol I-loaded hydrogels (gel@rhCol I) had a good response to the MI microenvironment, which indicated that they can release rhCol I for MI treatment. In vitro and in vivo results showed that the gel@rhCol I is able to effectively promote myocardial tissue repair and restore cardiac function after MI by inhibiting cell apoptosis, downregulating pro-inflammatory factors and promoting angiogenesis. In conclusion, injectable hydrogel based on tailored rhCol I exhibited great potential in the repair of damaged myocardial tissue. More importantly, the discovery of the mechanism of rhCol I promoting the repair of damaged myocardial tissue will broaden the clinical application of rhCol I for MI or heart failure treatment.</p><h3>Graphic Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":640,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Leather Science and Engineering","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://JLSE.SpringerOpen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s42825-025-00212-x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145560841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Porous surface coating fabrication for polyurethane synthetic leather: a review","authors":"Zhenghao Shi, Man-Hin Kwok, To Ngai","doi":"10.1186/s42825-025-00219-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42825-025-00219-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The use of leather in human history spans thousands of years, and the mass production of leather techniques also has a longstanding history over a century. The emergence of synthetic leather arose as a response to the market’s demand for an alternative due to a shortage of natural leather supply. However, the ongoing challenge of environmental pollution during the continuous development of synthetic leather to achieve comparable features to its natural counterparts has led the leather industry to deviate from its original goal of sustainability and environmentally friendliness, focused on “waste to worth” principle. Following the replacement of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with polyurethane (PU) as the primary material for the surface layer in synthetic leather, waterborne polyurethane (WPU) and solvent-free polyurethane (SFPU) emerged as the principal environmentally friendly raw material for synthetic leather manufacturing. The free volume (FV) theory explains the relation between mass transfer in polymer films and increasing FV in polymer coatings, highlighting its benefit to water vapor permeability (WVP). The WVP of a synthetic leather is primarily influenced by the hydrophilicity and porous structure of the polymer coating, determined by the base fabrics and the raw polymer coating material. This paper reviews various methods for preparing porous structures to increase WVP of polymer films or coatings: chemical blowing, thermally expandable microspheres, laser drilling, hollow microspheres, surfactant-stabilized foam templates and Pickering aqueous foam templates. It also provides a concise outline of present issues and prospects in improving the breathability of synthetic leather derived from these approaches.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":640,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Leather Science and Engineering","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://JLSE.SpringerOpen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s42825-025-00219-4","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145456184","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of anionic surfactants SDS and SDBS on the conformation and activity of bacterial collagenase","authors":"Ke Xu, Xuewei Zhou, Haiming Cheng","doi":"10.1186/s42825-025-00222-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42825-025-00222-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Anionic surfactants are essential additives for leather-making, routinely employed on beamhouse processes in combination with industrial enzyme preparations. However, few studies have elaborated the effects of surfactants on bacterial collagenase—a harmful component in industrial enzyme preparations that degrade collagen and impair leather quality. Here, we investigated the effects of two anionic surfactants, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), on the activity of collagenase G (ColG), a representative bacterial collagenase. The results showed that both anionic surfactants could significantly inhibit the hydrolytic activity of ColG. In comparison with SDS, SDBS exhibited a stronger inhibitory effect on ColG at lower concentrations. Spectroscopy, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation were employed to investigate the surfactant-bacterial collagenase interactions. The results indicated that both SDS and SDBS inhibited ColG primarily by occupying the active site of ColG and inducing conformational changes in the catalytic region. Compared with SDS, SDBS exhibited significantly higher binding affinity toward ColG and induced more pronounced conformational alterations of collagenase, resulting from π-conjugation effects and steric hindrance of its benzenesulfonate moiety. These findings not only facilitate optimized coordination between surfactants and industrial enzymes in leather-making processes but also provide theoretical support for developing bacterial collagenase inhibitors.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":640,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Leather Science and Engineering","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://JLSE.SpringerOpen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s42825-025-00222-9","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145456245","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hydrophobic high-bio-based content waterborne polyurethane prepared by diols and high-molecular weight internal emulsifier","authors":"Li Wang, Jun Xiang, Haojun Fan, Zhe Sun","doi":"10.1186/s42825-025-00214-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42825-025-00214-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Vegetable oil-based waterborne polyurethanes (WPU) have gained significant attention in the leather industry as sustainable coatings, yet inherently suffer from limited bio-based content, hydrophobicity, and low-temperature resistance due to their reliance on low-molecular weight (Mw) hydrophilic chain extenders and highly functionalized bio-based polyols. To overcome these challenges, we developed a long fatty chain-based design strategy by synthesizing a high-Mw castor oil emulsifier (COE) and two bio-based diols, successfully preparing a novel series of WPU emulsions. When the COE content reached 30%, the emulsions demonstrated good stability while achieving a high-bio-based content of 70.94%. The incorporated long fatty chains endowed the WPU films with good hydrophobicity (water contact angle > 90°), exceptional water resistance (water absorption < 2%), chemical resistance, and self-cleaning properties. Moreover, these high-bio-based content films exhibited tunable thermomechanical performance, including enhanced low-temperature resistance (<i>T</i><sub>g</sub> = 2.8 °C) and improved elongation with increasing Mw, while maintaining excellent thermal stability (<i>T</i><sub>d5%</sub> > 200 °C). This work provides an effective approach for developing sustainable WPU for leather applications with balanced performance properties through strategic molecular design of long fatty chain structures.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":640,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Leather Science and Engineering","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://JLSE.SpringerOpen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s42825-025-00214-9","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145315760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"From leather to the next-generation skin-friendly e-skin","authors":"Wan Zheng, Baicun Hao, Xin Huang, Bi Shi","doi":"10.1186/s42825-025-00220-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42825-025-00220-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Harnessing the collagenous structural hierarchy of leather is an intriguing strategy for developing the next-generation skin-friendly e-skins with integrated powerful multifunctional sensory capabilities. The current development of e-skins is significantly hindered by the limited breathability for the long-term wearability and the complexity of integrating multimodal sensors within confined device dimensions. The proteinous composition of leather is capable of providing e-skins with exceptional skin affinity, biocompatibility and water vapor permeability, thus guaranteeing the long-term wearing comfortability. The inherent hierarchical fibrous structure of leather combined with the unique reversible cross-scale deformation behaviors enables the in situ construction of highly sensitive microstructured sensors for realizing the miniaturization and integration of multimodal sensors within the constrained space of leather. As a consequence, the development of leather-based e-skins paves a new way for advancing leather industry from traditional manufacture to cutting-edge innovation.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":640,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Leather Science and Engineering","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://JLSE.SpringerOpen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s42825-025-00220-x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145315694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}