For centuries, medical science has relied on collagen—the essential structural protein found in connective tissues—to aid in wound healing.
Hospitals worldwide have extensively used mammal-derived collagen, particularly from pigs and cows, to treat skin wounds.
However, despite its effectiveness, this source of collagen comes with significant drawbacks.
The risk of disease transmission, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (commonly known as mad cow disease) and foot-and-mouth disease, has raised concerns.
Additionally, certain religious and dietary restrictions prevent many individuals from using collagen sourced from cows or pigs.
But what if there was a cheaper, safer, and more widely available alternative? Enter fish collagen, a resource that has largely gone overlooked—until now.
The Science Behind Fish Skin’s Healing Properties
The potential of fish-derived collagen was first highlighted in a 2008 study that examined how nanofibers from fish scales could serve as effective wound dressings.
These nanofibers, rich in collagen, demonstrated high tensile strength and promoted skin cell growth when applied to wounds.
However, scientists soon realized that fish skin—which contains around 70% collagen—offered even greater potential.
Unlike scales, fish skin closely resembles human skin in both form and structure, making it a promising candidate for medical applications.
This prompted a team of researchers from Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine in the United States to conduct further studies into its effectiveness.
Using advanced processing and purification technologies, the researchers extracted high-quality collagen sponges from discarded tilapia skin.
Their goal?
To determine if these collagen sponges could be an effective and safe solution for wound healing.
Is Fish Collagen as Effective as Mammal Collagen?
One of the main concerns with any biomedical material is whether it will trigger an immune response—which could cause the body to reject it.
To test this, the researchers mixed mouse spleen lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) with the extracted tilapia collagen sponge.
The result?
No immune response was triggered, meaning the collagen did not provoke an inflammatory reaction.
Additionally, fish collagen was found to stimulate fibroblast growth—the essential cells responsible for tissue repair and regeneration.
It also increased the expression of genes involved in wound healing, further supporting its potential role in regenerative medicine.
Beyond its biological compatibility, the strength and stability of fish collagen wound dressings were also put to the test.
The results were impressive: the wound dressings exhibited high tensile strength and remained stable at temperatures up to 300 degrees Celsius, demonstrating their durability.
A Real-World Test
To determine the real-world effectiveness of tilapia collagen wound dressings, researchers conducted an experiment on lab rats.
The rats were inflicted with 1.8-centimeter-long wounds on their backs and divided into three treatment groups:
- Treated with tilapia collagen wound dressings
- Treated with an algae-based wound dressing (Kaltostat)
- No treatment (control group)
The results were striking. Compared to the other two groups, the fish collagen-treated wounds healed significantly faster.
By day 7, scabs began to disappear, and by day 14, the majority of the wound area was covered by a new layer of skin.
In contrast, the wounds in the control and Kaltostat-treated groups remained partially unhealed.
Histopathological analysis further confirmed that the fish collagen-treated wounds experienced lower inflammation and the best new epidermis growth.
This suggests that tilapia collagen could be a game-changer in wound treatment, offering a highly effective, biocompatible, and affordable alternative to traditional treatments.
Can Fish Collagen Become a Commercial Success?
Despite these promising results, researchers now face the next big challenge—bringing fish collagen wound dressings to human trials and eventually to commercial markets.
However, they won’t be entering an empty field.
The wound care market is already competitive, with companies like Eqalix—which develops soy-based wound healing materials—seeking FDA approval for their products.
But fish collagen has one major advantage: it’s a byproduct of the seafood industry.
Tons of fish skin are discarded as waste every year. If harnessed correctly, this abundant and cheap resource could be recycled into a life-saving medical product.
Meanwhile, soybean-based wound treatments require additional agricultural production, raising concerns about land use and environmental impact.
If fish collagen can match or surpass the healing properties of these plant-based alternatives, it could quickly become the preferred choice for both medical professionals and environmental advocates alike.
A Sustainable and Effective Solution?
The research surrounding fish collagen is still in its early stages, but the results so far indicate a promising future.
With further development, this natural, abundant, and cost-effective material could become a mainstream option for treating wounds, benefiting both patients and the environment.
For now, all eyes are on the next phase of research—human clinical trials.
If successful, tilapia collagen wound dressings could soon find their way into hospitals, clinics, and first-aid kits worldwide, revolutionizing the way we heal wounds.
Could the future of medicine lie in something as simple as discarded fish skin? Science says yes.
