Dataset Information

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 fibrillogenesis. Time-lapse images of 0.5 mg/ml, 1.0 mg/ml, and 2.0 mg/ml acid-solubilized collagen I gels forming at 27°C, 32°C, and 37°C were collected. It was found that in situ turbidity measured in a scanning transmittance configuration was interchangeable with traditional turbidity measurements using a spectrophotometer. CRM and CFM were employed to reveal the structures responsible for the turbidity that develops during collagen self-assembly. Information from CRM and transmittance images was collapsed into straightforward single variables; total intensity in CRM images tracked turbidity development closely for all collagen gels investigated, and the two techniques were similarly sensitive to fibril number and dimension. Complementary CRM, CFM, and in situ turbidity measurements revealed that fibril and network formation occurred before substantial turbidity was present, and the majority of increasing turbidity during collagen self-assembly was due to increasing fibril thickness.

SUBMITTER: Zhu J

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

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

ACCESS DATA

Publications

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

Zhu Jieling J Kaufman Laura J LJ

Biophysical journal 20140401 8

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 ...[more]

PMID: 24739181

Similar Datasets

Project description:The ability to influence the direction of polymerization of a self-assembling biomolecular system has the potential to generate materials with extremely high anisotropy. In biological systems where highly-oriented cellular populations give rise to aligned and often load-bearing tissue such organized molecular scaffolds could aid in the contact guidance of cells for engineered tissue constructs (e.g. cornea and tendon). In this investigation we examine the detailed dynamics of pepsin-extracted type I bovine collagen assembly on a glass surface under the influence of flow between two plates. Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) imaging (60x-1.4NA) with focal plane stabilization was used to resolve and track the growth of collagen aggregates on borosilicate glass for 4 different shear rates (500, 80, 20, and 9s(-1)). The detailed morphology of the collagen fibrils/aggregates was examined using Quick Freeze Deep Etch (QFDE) electron microscopy. Nucleation of fibrils on the glass was observed to occur rapidly (approximately 2 min) followed by continued growth of the fibrils. The growth rates were dependent on flow in a complex manner with the highest rate of axial growth (0.1 micro/s) occurring at a shear rate of 9s(-1). The lowest growth rate occurred at the highest shear. Fibrils were observed to both branch and join during the experiments. The best alignment of fibrils was observed at intermediate shear rates of 20 and 80s(-1). However, the investigation revealed that fibril directional growth was not stable. At high shear rates, fibrils would often turn downstream forming what we term "hooks" which are likely the combined result of monomer interaction with the initial collagen layer or "mat" and the high shear rate. Further, QFDE examination of fibril morphology demonstrated that the assembled fibrillar structure did not possess native D-periodicity. Instead, fibrils comprised a collection of generally aligned, monomers which were self-assembled to form a fibril-like aggregate. In conclusion, though constant shear-rate clearly influences collagen fibrillar alignment, the formation of highly-organized collagenous arrays of native-like D-banded fibrils remains a challenge. Modulation of shear in combination with surface energy patterning to produce a highly-aligned initial mat may provide significant improvement of both the fibril morphology and alignment.

Dataset Information

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

Publications

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

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets