Nature Communications (Mar 2017)

Molecular level detection and localization of mechanical damage in collagen enabled by collagen hybridizing peptides

  • Jared L. Zitnay,
  • Yang Li,
  • Zhao Qin,
  • Boi Hoa San,
  • Baptiste Depalle,
  • Shawn P. Reese,
  • Markus J. Buehler,
  • S. Michael Yu,
  • Jeffrey A. Weiss

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14913
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Collagen denaturation is thought to occur during tissue mechanical damage, but its role in damage initiation is still unclear. Here, the authors use a collagen hybridizing peptide to provide insights into the molecular mechanisms leading to collagen unfolding during tendon mechanical stretch.