Does the temperature play a role in the initiation of collagen polymerization?

No. Unlike other ECM materials such as Matrigel, the collagen polymerization is initialized when the pH is raised to neutral. A temperature change to room temperature or even higher cannot initiate the polymerization process. After pH neutralization, the temperature plays a significant role, since the polymerization time highly depends on the temperature. The colder the mix, the slower the polymerization.