Preparation of collagenous polymers

Abstract

Abstract Collagenous material is converted into an irreversably cross-linked thermostable polymer by irradiation e.g. in aqueous solution or dispersion at pH 2-10, in the presence of a photosensitive derivative of isoalloxazine which may be denoted generally as 6,7(R,R1)-9(11-X)-isoalloxazines wherein R and R1 are interchangeably hydrogen atoms or C1-6 alkyl groups and X is ribityl, phosphoribityl or a mono- or poly-acetoribityl or malonyl groups and the water-soluble salts and dinucleotide derivatives thereof. Riboflavin (preferred) and riboflavin-5-phosphate are specified. Specified collagenous material is native collagen e.g. tendon, hide, gut and ichthycoll which may be previously treated e.g. by enzymatic digestion to remove effete matter, partially degraded collagen e.g. gelatin, native collagen in which the available side groups are esterified with an alkanol of 1-20 carbon atoms and extracts of collagenous material obtained by extraction with an alkali-metal halide solution, purification and concentration.ALSO:Fibres, films and sponges for surgical use and matrices for tissue culture are prepared from a polymerized acid dispersion of a collagenous material the polymerization being brought about by irradiation in the presence of a photosensitive isoallexazine photocatalyst (see Group IV (b)). The sponges may be impregnated with drugs, e.g. hemostatic agents such as heparin, hormones, antibiotics, e.g. penicillin and tetracyclines or wound-healing accelerators, e.g. Vitamin C, Vitamin A, urea or streptogenesis.

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