Mayo Clinic Researchers Develop Fully Humanized 3D Bioprinted Skin Using Plant-Based Collagen

Mayo Clinic scientists have developed a fully humanized 3D bioprinted skin model using recombinant human collagen (rhCollagen) derived from plants, according to a study published in Archives of Dermatological Research.

The model utilizes rhCollagen-based bioinks supplied by CollPlant Biotechnologies, combined with human fibroblasts, melanocytes, and keratinocytes. Researchers integrated the bioprinted skin into a skin-on-a-chip platform designed to assess topical and transdermal drug delivery without the use of animal models. The findings suggest broad applications in preclinical testing, disease modeling, and drug development.

Use of rhCollagen in this context offers advantages over animal-derived alternatives, including reduced risk of immune response, consistent quality, and the ability to produce personalized skin models at scale. These features position the technology as a potential tool in both cosmetic testing and regenerative medicine.

"We are excited about the impressive and innovative work resulting from Mayo Clinic's research and utilizing our rhCollagen technology,” said Yehiel Tal, CEO of CollPlant. “The model presents significant advantages, including providing a template for producing personalized human skin models at scale, enabling the reduction of animal testing, and creating learnings to apply to advancements in regenerative medicine. The results of this study further substantiate the vast potential of rhCollagen-based bioinks for use in 3D bioprinting applications including in vitro 3D models as well as in regenerative medicine."

The published study highlights the potential of rhCollagen-based 3D bioprinting as a platform for high-throughput skin model production and next-generation in vitro testing systems.