Use of collagen from marine origin for bone tissue regeneration in preclinical in vivo studies: a systematic review and quality evaluation

The rising demand for safe and effective alternatives for bone regeneration has spurred extensive research into biomaterials derived from marine collagen. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the feasibility of marine collagen-based compounds and derived constructs for bone regeneration in in vivo preclinical models while critically assessing the methodological quality of the included studies. The review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, utilizing the PICO framework to delineate the scope and research focus. After applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, a comprehensive search across multiple databases identified 15 eligible studies. Methodological quality was appraised using the ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines, and the risk of bias was weighed through the SYRCLE tool. The selected studies evaluated collagens derived from fish and marine sponges, which were processed into scaffolds, membranes, and hydrogels. These biomaterials exhibited notable biocompatibility, osteoconductivity, and efficacy in promoting new bone formation. Furthermore, synergistic combinations with hydroxyapatite, chitosan, and growth factors such as BMP-2 significantly enhanced their regenerative capacity. However, several critical shortcomings were observed in experimental designs, including inadequate randomization, absence of blinding, and insufficient reporting of animal handling protocols. These limitations raise concerns regarding reproducibility and the overall validity of the findings. In conclusion, marine collagen-based biomaterials hold significant potential for bone regeneration applications. Nevertheless, achieving greater standardization and methodological rigor in preclinical research is paramount to ensuring their successful clinical translation.