Abstract: Proteolytic enzyme compositions and processes for digesting connective tissue are provided. The enzyme compositions include collagenase, which is essentially free of toxins and non-collagen specific components, and chymopapain, which is essentially free of toxins. The enzyme compositions are used for dissociating microvessel cells from connective tissue. Recovered microvessel cells are incorporated into artificial vessel grafts. The composition preferrably contains collagenase having an activity of about 43 nkat/ml to about 51 nkat/ml and chymopapin having an activity of about 0.22 nkat/ml to about 0.44 nkat/ml.

Abstract: Proteolytic enzyme compositions and processes for digesting connective tissue are disclosed. The enzyme compositions include collagenase, which is essentially free of toxins and non-collagen specific components, and chymopapain, which is essentially free of toxins. The enzyme compositions are used for dissociating microvessel cells from connective tissue. Recovered microvessel cells are incorporated into artificial vessel grafts. The enzyme compositions preferably contain an aqueous mixture of collagenase having an activity of about 43 nkat/ml to about 51 nkat/ml, and chymopapain having an activity of about 0.22 nkat/ml to about 0.44 nkat/ml.

Abstract: A process for purifying crude collagenase is disclosed. The collagenase purification process includes providing a stabilized crude collagenase solution containing collagenase, pigment, toxins, bacterial materials, and proteolytic enzyme impurities including clostripain, trypsin, and caseinase. The stabilized collagenase solution is applied to hydroxylapatite packing. pigment and caseinase are eluted with a first solution comprising about 0.05 M to about 0.3 M phosphate buffer, and then collagenase, trypsin, and clostripain are eluted with a second solution comprising about 0.35 M to about 0.5 M phosphate buffer to provide a first collected solution. The first collected solution is then applied to gel filtration packing and collagenase and clostripain are eluted with a neutral pH buffer solution, to provide a second collected solution. The second collected solution is then applied to Reactive Red 120-Agarose packing and collagenase is eluted with a neutral pH buffer solution to provide purified collagenase.