Described, in certain aspects, are medical products comprised of uniquely prepared remodelable extracellular matrix (ECM) materials retaining at least a portion of their native bioactivity. Also described are methods for forming and using such products. In one embodiment, an inventive product comprises a layer of remodelable ECM material modified through contact with periodic acid or a salt thereof. In some forms, such a modified ECM material layer includes non-native Schiff's base crosslinks within and/or between certain components of the ECM material (e.g., between two collagen molecules, two non-collagen molecules, and/or a collagen molecule and a non-collagen molecule). Other inventive products are comprised of various gels, foams, pastes, and formed, coherent, porous bodies at least containing ECM materials that have been modified in accordance with the present invention.
