Abstract: For collagen-based biomaterials, the degradation processes of bovine collagen-based sponges and acellular matrix(ACM) materials were studied by different methods. The degradation laws of the two materials were compared, and the degradation cycle of collagen-based materials in vivo was quantitatively examined. Collagen sponges and ACM were implanted subcutaneously on both sides of the spine of SD rats, and samples were taken at different weeks to observe the degree of degradation of the two materials and weighed to establish a degradation curve. The characteristic peptide GEGGPQGPRG of bovine type I collagen was quantified. The remaining part of the rat body was digested in batches, and the characteristic peptide was quantified by triple quadrupole mass spectrometry to establish a degradation curve. The results showed that the ACM matrix and collagen sponge had the same degradation trend. The collagen sponge was degraded for 8 weeks, and the characteristic peptide concentration was (0.40±0.10)×10-5 mg/mL, indicating that the collagen sponge was completely degraded. The acellular matrix was degraded for 16 weeks, and the characteristic peptide concentration was (1.30±0.11)×10-5 mg/mL, indicating that the acellular matrix was completely degraded.

Key words: acellular matrix, collagen sponge, in vivo degradation, HPLC-MS, characteristic peptide