Porcine materials are already familiar in biomedical research, but some of the most promising options are still sitting on the sidelines. Membranes, nerve tissue, and ligament-like connective structures get less attention than “headline” materials. These materials can offer the kind of real-world structure and performance that R&D teams need when they are building, testing, and refining new concepts.
Sustainable Swine Resources (SSR) is built around giving every part of the pig a purpose. We do this by turning materials not used for food into high-value resources for research and product development. With the ability to customize porcine materials to spec and support consistent supply through large-scale harvest operations, these tissue types become practical inputs, not one-off curiosities.
Porcine Membranes: Thin Material, Big Utility
Membranes can be easy to overlook because they are thin, but their role in the body is anything but minor. SSR’s porcine peritoneal membrane protects and supports abdominal organs, provides lubrication, and serves as a pathway for blood vessels and nerves.
That natural combination of flexibility and structure makes membranes worth revisiting for R&D teams working on wound-related concepts and surgical applications. A peritoneal membrane can be used in surgical procedures, as well as in medical devices that promote wound healing.
In practice, membranes can be valuable when you need a thin layer that behaves like tissue, can be handled during prototyping, and can be supplied consistently enough to support iteration. Visit our resources page for information on our porcine material sourcing and pricing structure.
Porcine Nerves: Important Structures for R&D
Nerve tissue is not always the primary focus of a project, as it’s often part of the environment a project needs to replicate. Peritoneal membranes can provide pathways for nerves, which is a useful reminder that real anatomy is interconnected.
SSR highlights porcine materials for biomedical and translational research, pointing to the usefulness of porcine-derived models in studies that aim to translate into human outcomes. Translational research is described as a multidisciplinary approach that helps speed the impact of scientific discoveries on patient health and wellness, supported through study of cell cultures or animal models.
Check out our products page to get a better idea of porcine materials R&D teams use for research.
Ligaments and Connective Tissues: Built for Strength and Repair
Connective tissues matter when the challenge is not just biology, but durability. Porcine pericardia as a biocompatible material is valued for strength and availability, with properties that allow it to withstand conditions inside the human body and be extracted reliably at scale.
At SSR, we acknowledge that something like porcine pericardia can be formed into a patch and attached to damaged tissue to promote healing. Beyond repair, we reference pericardia use in wound healing and tissue regeneration research, including in vitro models and testing new treatments.
For product developers and researchers, connective tissues can offer a useful substrate when strength, handling, and predictable performance matter as much as biocompatibility.
The Takeaway
If your current porcine material strategy focuses mostly on the usual suspects, membranes, nerves, and connective tissues are worth a second look. Membranes offer thin, functional layers that can support wound-healing and surgical concepts. Nerve-related structures help create more realistic biological context in translational work, and ligament-adjacent connective materials bring durability and repair potential that can support both devices and research models.
With SSR’s ability to source and customize porcine materials to specifications and deliver them reliably, these “underused” tissues can move from interesting ideas to repeatable R&D inputs. Contact us today if you think SSR can solve your need for porcine materials.