Stretch-induced network reconfiguration of collagen fibres in the human facet capsular ligament.

ABSTRACT: Biomaterials can display complex spatial patterns of cellular responses to external forces. Revealing and predicting the role of these patterns in material failure require an understanding of the statistical dependencies between spatially distributed changes in a cell's local biomechanical environment, including altered collagen fibre kinematics in the extracellular matrix. Here, we develop and apply a novel extension of network science methods to investigate how excessive tensile stretch of the human cervical facet capsular ligament (FCL), a common source of chronic neck pain, affects the local reorganization of collagen fibres. We define collagen alignment networks based on similarity in fibre alignment angles measured by quantitative polarized light imaging. We quantify the reorganizati

SUBMITTER: Zhang S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4759794 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature