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The structure and assembly of collagen fibrils *: I. Native‐collagen fibrils and their formation from tropocollagen
Author(s) -
COX R. W.,
GRANT R. A.,
HORNE R. W.
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
journal of the royal microscopical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0368-3974
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1967.tb04498.x
Subject(s) - macromolecule , fibril , collagen fibril , biophysics , macromolecular substances , chemistry , crystallography , biochemistry , biology
SYNOPSIS Hypotheses to explain the formation of native‐collagen fibrils from tropocollagen macromolecules have been considered and their inconsistencies examined. A new model for the tropocollagen macromolecule is suggested and a new mechanism for its assembly into native‐collagen fibrils is offered. It is postulated that the tropocollagen macromolecule is divided into 5 main bonding zones separated by 4 main non‐bonding zones. The macromolecules are assembled into native fibrils by allowing a main bonding zone on a particular macromolecule an initial random choice in combining, in a structurally complementary manner, with a main bonding zone on another macromolecule. The evidence for the proposals arises from the use of negative‐staining techniques and high‐resolution electron microscopy. The work described includes a more detailed discussion of some preliminary findings reported earlier (Grant, Home, & Cox, 1965 b ).