Collagen I self-assembly: revealing the developing structures that generate turbidity.

ABSTRACT: Type I collagen gels are routinely used in biophysical studies and bioengineering applications. The structural and mechanical properties of these fibrillar matrices depend on the conditions under which collagen fibrillogenesis proceeds, and developing a fuller understanding of this process will enhance control over gel properties. Turbidity measurements have long been the method of choice for monitoring developing gels, whereas imaging methods are regularly used to visualize fully developed gels. In this study, turbidity and confocal reflectance microscopy (CRM) were simultaneously employed to track collagen fibrillogenesis and reconcile the information reported by the two techniques, with confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) used to supplement information about early events in fibrillog

SUBMITTER: Zhu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4008796 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature