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Originally published as Biophys J. BioFAST on October 6, 2006.
doi:10.1529/biophysj.106.085704
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Biophysical Journal 92:70-75 (2007)
© 2007 The Biophysical Society

Collagen Fibrils: Nanoscale Ropes

Laurent Bozec * {ddagger}, Gert van der Heijden {dagger} and Michael Horton * {ddagger}

* Bone and Mineral Centre, Department of Medicine, and {dagger} Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University College London, London, England; and {ddagger} London Centre for Nanotechnology, London, United Kingdom

Correspondence: Address reprint requests to Dr. Laurent Bozec, Dept. of Medicine, Rayne Building, 5 University St., London WC1E 6JJ, UK. Tel.: 44 207-679-6169; Fax: 44-207-679-6219; E-mail: l.bozec{at}ucl.ac.uk.

The formation of collagen fibrils from staggered repeats of individual molecules has become "accepted" wisdom. However, for over thirty years now, such a model has failed to resolve several structural and functional questions. In a novel approach, it was found, using atomic force microscopy, that tendon collagen fibrils are composed of subcomponents in a spiral disposition—that is, their structure is similar to that of macroscale ropes. Consequently, this arrangement was modeled and confirmed using elastic rod theory. This work provides new insight into collagen fibril structure and will have wide application—from the design of scaffolds for tissue engineering and a better understanding of pathogenesis of diseases of bone and tendon, to the conservation of irreplaceable parchment-based museum exhibits.




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M. P. E. Wenger, L. Bozec, M. A. Horton, and P. Mesquida
Mechanical Properties of Collagen Fibrils
Biophys. J., August 15, 2007; 93(4): 1255 - 1263.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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Copyright © 2007 by the Biophysical Society.