In Vitro Analysis of the Co-Assembly of Type-I and Type-III Collagen.

ABSTRACT: An important step towards achieving functional diversity of biomimetic surfaces is to better understand the co-assembly of the extracellular matrix components. For this, we study type-I and type-III collagen, the two major collagen types in the extracellular matrix. By using atomic force microscopy, custom image analysis, and kinetic modeling, we study their homotypic and heterotypic assembly. We find that the growth rate and thickness of heterotypic fibrils decrease as the fraction of type-III collagen increases, but the fibril nucleation rate is maximal at an intermediate fraction of type-III. This is because the more hydrophobic type-I collagen nucleates fast and grows in both longitudinal and lateral directions, whereas more hydrophilic type-III limits lateral growth of fibrils, drivin

SUBMITTER: Eryilmaz E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6816666 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature