Abstract: The effects of sodium alginate (SA), chondroitin sulfate (CS), hyaluronic acid (HA) and chitosan (CTS) on the self-assembly of type I collagen from tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) skin were investigated. It was found that collagen selfassembly showed a two-phase kinetic process (nucleation and growth) in the presence of SA, CS, HA and CTS, but their effects on the kinetic parameters were different. SA did not show any significant effect on the rate constant in the nucleation phase of collagen self-assembly, but prolonged the nucleation time. CTS raised the rate constant and shorten the nucleation time. HA did not display any marked impact on the nucleation phase, nor did CS. In addition, CS had no notable effect on the growth phase. Scanning electron microscopic observations suggested that fiber bundles were formed by the lateral aggregation of fibrils in the presence of SA, CS and HA, the diameter being in the descending order of CS > SA > HA, while CTS had no similar effect.

Key words: collagen, self-assembly, tilapia, fish skin