Collagen from Salted Jellyfish (Rhopilema esculentum): Structural Characterization, Emulsifying Properties and Wound Healing Potential

Jellyfish collagen, a sustainable and biocompatible marine biomaterial, holds great potential in food and biomedical applications. This study explores the emulsification properties and therapeutic potential of pepsin-soluble collagen derived from salt-preserved Rhopilema esculentum (RPSC). Structural analysis confirmed that RPSC retained an intact triple-helix structure with a denaturation temperature of approximately 36.0 °C and formed elastic gels at concentrations ≥1.5% (w/w). As an emulsion stabilizer, RPSC (2%, w/w) effectively stabilized oil-in-water emulsions with oil fractions up to 50%, forming viscoelastic networks that exhibited excellent centrifugal stability but limited freeze–thaw tolerance. The gel–sol transition occurred near 38.0 °C, consistent with the thermal denaturation of RPSC. As a wound healing promoter, RPSC showed no cytotoxicity and dose-dependently enhanced 3T3 fibroblast viability, migration, and SOD activity. Notably, RPSC downregulated TGF-β1 expression and suppressed endogenous type I collagen synthesis, indicating a scar-mitigating profile distinct from conventional pro-fibrotic collagen dressings. These findings establish RPSC as a bifunctional marine biomaterial for both emulsified food systems and regenerative wound dressings in the biomedical field.