| abstract |
A transparent native, non-fibrilized collagen material is described having an absorbence at a wavelength of 900 nm of less than 5% in a sample 5 mm thick. This collagen material is useful for a prosthetic replacement of the cornea because of the high transparency and because it is a native material, and thus less susceptible to immunogenic responses. A method for forming the native, non-fibrilized, highly transparent collagen material comprises ultracentrifuging a purified solution of native collagen to form a pellet of transparent collagen material, and fixing the pellet of collagen material to form a rigid, leather-like material. The collagen material can also be used for prosthetic replacement of other bodily tissues, such as nucleus pulposus, cartilage, and vitreous body. |