Since 2022, more than 950 peer-reviewed papers have named a Biocolor kit in their methods. Here is what those researchers are measuring, in which fields, and how the kits work together.
950+
peer-reviewed papers since 2022
6
research fields account for most published use
112
papers used more than one Biocolor kit
We count papers whose methods section names a Biocolor kit and describes using it. We check each paper's full text where it is open access, or the methods passage indexed by Google Scholar where it is not. Reviews, patents and theses are not included in the count.Have we missed your work? →
Figures and papers last updated: October 2026.
Our lifetime research impact is larger still. For example, the lifetime combined citations of our Sircol / Blyscan and Fastin kits now number in the several 1000s (Google Scholar)!
Research areas
Six research fields account for most published use of Biocolor kits. Choose one to see what researchers measure and a selection of recent papers.
Fibrosis research
Measuring collagen deposition in lung, heart, liver and skin fibrosis models, and screening antifibrotic drugs.
Cartilage & joint repair
Tracking the sGAG that chondrocytes and stem cells build into engineered cartilage and disc.
Decellularised tissues & scaffolds
Showing how much collagen, sGAG and elastin a matrix keeps after decellularisation.
Cardiovascular & vascular grafts
Elastin and collagen in arteries, valves, plaques and regenerating vascular grafts.
Skin, wound healing & cosmetics
Collagen and elastin made in response to wound therapies and cosmetic actives.
Rare genetic disease
GAGs and collagen in inherited disorders, from MPS clinical research to osteogenesis imperfecta.
Research area
Fibrosis is where our Sircol kits are used most: almost half of all Sircol papers measure collagen as the readout of fibrotic disease. Researchers quantify collagen in lung, heart, liver, kidney and skin from animal models and patient tissue. They also measure it in the culture medium of fibroblasts treated with candidate antifibrotic drugs. Lung fibrosis is the largest single area.
Did you know? Several studies combine our soluble & insoluble collagen kits to measure newly made (soluble) and mature crosslinked (insoluble) collagen separately, which tracks both active fibrosis and established scarring.
Sircol
Soluble collagen in lung homogenates used to show a candidate therapeutic resolving lung fibrosis (industry authors, aTyr Pharma).
A human histidyl-tRNA synthetase splice variant therapeutic targets NRP2 to resolve lung inflammation and fibrosis
Sircol
Lung collagen (types I–V) measured as the fibrosis readout in a mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis.
Externalized histones fuel pulmonary fibrosis via a platelet–macrophage circuit of TGFβ1 and IL-27
Sircol
Newly synthesised and mature crosslinked collagen measured in fibrotic lung to test designed integrin-inhibitor miniproteins.
De novo design of highly selective miniprotein inhibitors of integrins αvβ6 and αvβ8
Sircol
Collagen produced by lung fibroblasts co-cultured with airway basal cells from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients.
Airway basal cells show a dedifferentiated KRT17high phenotype and promote fibrosis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Research area
Blyscan's core use: over a third of Blyscan papers measure the sGAG that chondrocytes and stem cells lay down in engineered cartilage, meniscus and intervertebral disc. It is the standard readout of whether a construct is becoming cartilage.
Did you know? Blyscan's dye formulation has been optimised to separate sulfated GAG from interfering substances.
Blyscan
GAG content of engineered human elastic cartilage grown for ear reconstruction.
Tissue Engineered Human Elastic Cartilage From Primary Auricular Chondrocytes for Ear Reconstruction
Blyscan
GAG produced by stem cells on artificial-proteoglycan assemblies designed as cartilage implants for post-microfracture healing.
Anti-swelling and self-activating artificial proteoglycan assemblies as cartilaginous implant for post-microfracture healing
Blyscan
GAG secretion by cells on co-assembled protein biomaterials for cartilage regeneration.
Molecular co-assembled strategy tuning protein conformation for cartilage regeneration
Blyscan
sGAG made by stem cells in collagen hydrogels of differing viscoelasticity, as the measure of chondrogenesis.
Collagen hydrogel viscoelasticity regulates MSC chondrogenesis in a ROCK-dependent manner
Research area
This is one application every Biocolor kit shares! After decellularisation, researchers need to know what matrix is left. Collagen, sGAG, elastin and hyaluronan are measured before and after processing, from whole livers and lungs to uterus, cornea and human donor tissue for clinical grafts.
Did you know? Some teams use Fastin to prove elastin has been removed, not kept. For example, a paediatric airway graft built from decellularised meniscus.
Fastin
Elastin measured in native vs decellularised meniscus to confirm its deliberate removal before use as an airway graft.
A translational approach to airway reconstruction leveraging decellularized meniscus and cartilage progenitor cells
Sircol · Blyscan · Fastin
Collagen, sulfated GAG and elastin were measured in decellularised rat liver scaffolds to characterise the matrix used to build vascularised liver organoids from human iPSC-derived cells.
Leveraging IGF signaling to improve the spatial organization and regenerative potential of iPSC-derived vascularized liver organoids
Sircol 2.0 · Fastin
Soluble collagen and elastin were quantified in native and decellularised Bruch's membrane from young and aged human donors, characterising an aged matrix scaffold for modelling age-related macular degeneration.
Decellularized Aged Bruch's Membrane Confers Unique Biochemical Cues to Retinal Pigment Epithelium for In Vitro Modeling of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Fastin
Elastin remaining in uterus-derived decellularised matrix used to regenerate endometrium and restore fertility.
Uterus-Derived Decellularized Extracellular Matrix-Mediated Endometrial Regeneration and Fertility Enhancement
Research area
Elastin gives arteries their recoil, which makes this Fastin's leading field alongside tissue QC. Researchers are measuring elastin and collagen in aneurysms, aortic disease and atherosclerotic plaques. They also measure them in engineered grafts and patches before & after implantation.
Did you know? Two human research studies, of 101 aortas and 176 carotid plaques, used Fastin and Sircol to link matrix composition to disease severity and plaque stability.
Fastin · Sircol
Elastin and collagen in 176 human carotid plaques as markers of plaque stability.
Elevated Asporin expression in human atherosclerotic plaques promotes their stability and reduces the risk for cardiovascular events
Sircol · Blyscan · Fastin
Collagen, sulfated GAG and elastin were each quantified in decellularised polycaprolactone-reinforced biotubes, confirming matrix retention in an off-the-shelf regenerative vascular graft.
Reinforced biotubes as readily available and regenerative vascular grafts
Sircol · Sircol Insoluble · Fastin · Blyscan
Soluble and insoluble collagen, elastin and GAG in stem-cell-derived cardiac matrix for heart repair.
Human iPSC-derived cardiac-specific extracellular matrix scaffolds for cardiomyocyte maturation and post-myocardial infarction repair
Sircol
Collagen in human carotid plaques, linking diabetes to weaker fibrous caps.
Dysregulation of MMP2-dependent TGF-ß2 activation impairs fibrous cap formation in type 2 diabetes-associated atherosclerosis
Research area
From wound dressings and burn scaffolds to anti-ageing actives, collagen and elastin are the two proteins skin research most wants to see increase. Our kits measure them in fibroblast cultures, skin explants and healed tissue. They are used by academic labs and by cosmetic and nutraceutical ingredient companies.
Did you know? Nearly half of Fastin-citing patents are for cosmetic or nutraceutical ingredients.
Sircol · Blyscan · Fastin
Collagen, sGAG and elastin retained in processed skin matrix for a topical regenerative and hair-loss treatment.
Amine-Functionalized Chitosan/dECM Composite Promotes Cutaneous Regeneration and Hair Follicle Activation by Regulating Oxidative Stress and Inflammation
Sircol
Collagen loaded into topical nanoliposomes designed to deliver collagen into skin.
Topical Nanoliposomal Collagen Delivery for Targeted Fibril Formation by Electrical Stimulation
Sircol
Collagen deposited in healed skin after a combined anti-melanoma and wound-healing hydrogel.
Integration of Tumor Elimination and Tissue Regeneration via Selective Manipulation of Physiological Microenvironments Based on Intelligent Nanocomposite Hydrogel for Postoperative Treatment of Malignant Melanoma
Fastin
Dermal elastin in UV-aged skin, used to show reduced elastin degradation after secretome delivery.
Enhanced Anti-Photoaging Effects of Adipose-Derived Stem Cell (ADSC) Secretome via Liposomal and Iontophoretic Intradermal Delivery
Research area
In the mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS), GAGs build up because an enzyme is missing, so measuring GAG is how researchers judge whether a therapy works. Blyscan appears in enzyme-replacement and gene-therapy research, including clinical trials. Sircol is used in inherited collagen disorders such as osteogenesis imperfecta.
Did you know? Urinary GAG measured with Blyscan is also being explored as a biomarker beyond MPS, in systemic sclerosis, juvenile arthritis and lower urinary tract symptoms.
Blyscan
Tissue GAGs used to compare gene-therapy doses and routes in Hunter syndrome (MPS II).
Comparative dose effectiveness of intravenous and intrathecal AAV9.CB7.hIDS, RGX-121, in mucopolysaccharidosis type II mice
Blyscan
GAG reduction as the efficacy readout for engineered T cells secreting a missing enzyme.
Engineering memory T cells as a platform for long-term enzyme replacement therapy in lysosomal storage disorders
Sircol
Collagen produced by osteoblasts in a recessive osteogenesis imperfecta model.
CaMKII inhibition due to TRIC-B loss-of-function dysregulates SMAD signaling in osteogenesis imperfecta
Blyscan
Tissue GAG storage measured to test a repurposed drug in Sanfilippo syndrome (MPS IIIA).
Fluoxetine ameliorates mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA
At a glance
This table illustrates how each kit's published use is spread across the six research main areas. Each column shows the share of that kit's own papers, so smaller and newer kits are not drowned out by the larger ones.
| Research area | Sircol | Sircol Insoluble | Sircol 2.0* | Blyscan | Fastin | Purple-Jelley |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fibrosis research | ●●● | ●● | ●●● | ● | ●● | |
| Cartilage & joint repair | ● | ● | ●●● | ● | ||
| Decellularised tissues & scaffolds | ●● | ●●● | ●●● | ●●● | ●●● | ●●● |
| Cardiovascular & vascular grafts | ●● | ●●● | ● | ● | ●●● | ● |
| Skin, wound healing & cosmetics | ●● | ●● | ●● | ● | ●●● | |
| Rare genetic disease | ● |
●●● main use (25% or more of that kit's papers) · ●● common (10–24%) · ● occasional (3–9%) · blank: under 3%. Verified papers, 2022–2026. A paper can fall in more than one area.
* Sircol 2.0 is a newer kit, so this is early data from a small number of papers. Purple-Jelley's main area, muscle, fascia and nerve biology, falls outside these six fields.
Combinations
112 papers used more than one Biocolor kit.
Collagen (Sircol), sGAG (Blyscan) and elastin (Fastin) together give a complete picture of what a scaffold retains. Recent examples include vascularised liver organoids (Kim et al., Science Advances 2026), regenerative vascular grafts (Cheng et al., Nature Communications 2026) and stem-cell-derived cardiac matrix (Sharma et al., Bioactive Materials 2025).
Sircol measures newly made, soluble collagen. Sircol Insoluble then measures the mature, crosslinked collagen left behind. Run on the same sample, they give total collagen, as in decellularised lung hydrogels for COPD models (Antczak et al., Acta Biomaterialia 2024) and cardiac matrix scaffolds (Sharma et al., Bioactive Materials 2025).
Beyond the usual
ETH Zürich printed scaffolds that let human mammary cells lactate in vitro, and used Blyscan and Fastin to check the scaffold matrix (Hasenauer et al., Science Advances 2025).
The University of Padova's Institute of Human Anatomy has used Purple-Jelley to follow hyaluronan in muscle and fascia with ageing, stroke and nerve injury (Fede et al., IJMS 2022; Zhao et al., Frontiers in Neurology 2026).
Researchers have also used the kits on upcycled abalone and fish by-products, snail mucin, cultured leather and even bacterial biofilms from caves. If it has matrix, someone has measured it!
Latest papers
A cross-section of the most recent work using Biocolor kits, newest first. Each paper is linked to its DOI.
Sircol 2.0 · Sircol Insoluble · Blyscan
Soluble collagen, insoluble collagen and sulfated GAG were measured in native and decellularised porcine small intestine, to judge how much bioactive matrix survived processing into a wound dressing.
Engineering Biohybrid Fibrous Materials: Silk Fibroin Textiles Combined with Decellularized Porcine Small Intestine for Wound-Healing Applications
Sircol 2.0 · Sircol Insoluble · Fastin
Soluble collagen, insoluble collagen and elastin were profiled in mouse soleus, EDL and tendon to track matrix remodelling under diet-induced obesity, caloric restriction and exercise.
Caloric restriction and aerobic exercise differentially counteract muscle–tendon dysfunction following diet-induced obesity in C57BL/6J mice
Sircol · Blyscan · Fastin
Collagen, sulfated GAG and elastin were each quantified in decellularised polycaprolactone-reinforced biotubes, confirming matrix retention in an off-the-shelf regenerative vascular graft.
Reinforced biotubes as readily available and regenerative vascular grafts
Sircol
Soluble collagen was measured in cultured MRC5 human lung fibroblasts and in mouse lung tissue, testing whether a novel LOXL2 inhibitor suppresses collagen accumulation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Targeting Lysyl Oxidase-like 2: A Therapeutic Strategy for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis with a Novel Indolizine Derivative
Sircol · Sircol Insoluble
Soluble and insoluble collagen deposition were measured in primary cardiac fibroblasts from young and aged rats, separating newly deposited matrix from crosslinked matrix.
Age-dependent dysregulation of collagen metabolism in primary cardiac fibroblasts in vitro
Purple-Jelley
Hyaluronic acid was measured in mouse forelimb skeletal muscle, assessing how stroke alters intramuscular connective tissue.
The impact of stroke on intramuscular connective tissue in mice
Sircol · Blyscan · Fastin
Collagen, sulfated GAG and elastin were measured in decellularised rat liver scaffolds to characterise the matrix used to build vascularised liver organoids from human iPSC-derived cells.
Leveraging IGF signaling to improve the spatial organization and regenerative potential of iPSC-derived vascularized liver organoids
Sircol 2.0 · Fastin
Soluble collagen and elastin were quantified in native and decellularised Bruch's membrane from young and aged human donors, characterising an aged matrix scaffold for modelling age-related macular degeneration.
Decellularized Aged Bruch's Membrane Confers Unique Biochemical Cues to Retinal Pigment Epithelium for In Vitro Modeling of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Next steps
If you have published work using a Biocolor kit and would like it included, send us the DOI. We are also glad to advise on whether a kit suits a particular sample type or study design before you start.
