Disaggregation by Collagenase in Embryonic, Normal and Malignant Tissues - Disaggregation by trypsin can be damaging (e.g. epithelial cells) or ineffective on fibrous tissues.

Since intracellular matrix contains collagen, collagenase has proved effective for disaggregation of several normal and malignant tissues, which may be rather sensitive to trypsin. Crude collagenase (with contamination of nonspecific proteases) is often used with a finely chopped tissue in complete medium.