Difference in solute diffusivity in crosslinked collagen gels prepared under various conditions

Collagen gel was prepared by an ordinary method as that used for preparing a cell-culture medium from an aqueous type-1 atelocollagen solution through crosslinking with glutaraldehyde (GA). Solute diffusivity in the gels prepared in the different conditions was discussed, being related to their water content. The water content of the gel decreased with increasing GA concentration at crosslinking but the solute diffusivity in the gel hardly changed. On the other hand, collagen concentration, at crosslinking of the collagen solution, dramatically affected the solute diffusivity of the obtained gel, although the water content of the gel was not changed and maintained at higher value around 0.9. The inconsistency suggested that the gel had a heterogeneous microstructure although the content of the gel was almost water. This result suggests that the process to prepare collagen medium for cell culture affects cell growth in the case that mass transfer is dominant.