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X‐ray diffraction evidence of collagen molecular packing and cross‐linking in fibrils of rat tendon observed by synchrotron radiation.
Author(s) -
Svendsen K.H.,
Koch M.H.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1982.tb01228.x
Subject(s) - fibril , biology , collagen fibril , tendon , synchrotron radiation , synchrotron , biophysics , crystallography , x ray crystallography , fiber diffraction , diffraction , x ray , anatomy , optics , physics , chemistry
X‐ray diffraction patterns of fibres from 90 day (mature) rat‐tail tendons were investigated using synchrotron radiation. The specimens were kept isometric at their corresponding in vitro rest length, and effects of pH and ionic strength were studied during short X‐ray exposures. The results indicate that fibrils, equilibrated in physiological Ringer prior to exposure, have segregated lateral regions of well ordered collagen molecular packing. Lowering the ionic strength or the pH to 4.0 causes an order/disorder transition during which the fibril crystallinity decreases. At pH 3.5 a dramatic increase in the lateral swelling was observed. This effect was absent for fibres pretreated with sodium borohydride. The results are interpreted on the basis of cross‐linking phenomena whereby the aldimine cross‐link seems to be a controlling component of the lateral packing arrangement of collagen molecules.