RESUMO
The collagen used in the work as substratum has been divided into 3 groups: one under glutaraldehyde treatment, the second under periodate acid treatment, while the third remained non treated. The samples were removed after 1, 5, 10 and 15 days of growth to morphological analysis. The results led to the conclusion that both treated and non treated collagen felt induce a differentiation process distinguished by alterations in shape and size of cells and modifications in the protein-DNA complex, observed by Toluidine blue staining. The periodate acid acts on glicosidic portion of the collagen molecule and the cells that grow on this substratum have attachment and spreading changed, indicating that the lateral chains of carbohydrates of the collagen molecule exert influence on the attachment and spreading process of VERO cells, causing a partially changed cell proliferation