The objective of the study was to examine the effect of growth-promoting technologies (GP) on Longissimus lumborum steak tenderness, muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA), and collagen solubility. Crossbred feedlot heifers (n = 33; initial BW 464 ± 6 kg) were blocked by BW and assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: no GP (CON; n = 11); implant, no zilpaterol hydrochloride (IMP; n = 11); implant and z...

Introduction Ligament fibroblasts reside in a highly fibrous and anisotropic microenvironment. The type I collagen that made up the majority of the ligament extracellular matrix are organized into fiber bundles and crimp structures. This highly aligned arrangement has been shown to modulate fibroblast morphology, collagen expression and mechanotransduction [1]. In addition, fibroblasts exhibit ...

Decorin is a member of the expanding group of widely distributed small leucine-rich proteoglycans that are expected to play important functions in tissue assembly. We report that mice harboring a targeted disruption of the decorin gene are viable but have fragile skin with markedly reduced tensile strength. Ultrastructural analysis revealed abnormal collagen morphology in skin and tendon, with ...

This paper describes a noninvasive method for evaluating regional elasticity of atheroma by measuring the minute change in thickness of the arterial wall during one heartbeat. By comparing the pathological findings with the elasticity images, elasticity distributions for lipid and fibrous tissue (mixture of smooth muscle and collagen fiber) were determined in vitro. Furthermore, to characterize...

Introduction The complex organization of collageneous fiber network in joint cartilage and its load conditioned behaviour determines the biomechanical properties of this tissue. It has been shown that the state of health of the cartilage has an influence on the deformation mechanisms of the collagen network under compressive load [1, 2]. Thus, the compression tests could be a successful tool to...

Although the mechanical phenomena associated with preconditioning are well-established, the underlying mechanisms responsible for this behavior are still not fully understood. Using quantitative polarized light imaging, this study assessed whether preconditioning alters the collagen fiber alignment of ligament tissue, and determined whether changes in fiber organization are associated with the ...

Mixed gelatin-alginate gels are widely studied as encapsulating matrices. However, the dissolution of gelatin at mild temperatures (close to body temperature) imparts low stability for these systems, particularly as delivery matrices. In this context, collagen fiber arises as an alternative due to its water binding properties. Thus, the main objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of ...

Fiber bundles are present in many tissues throughout the body. In most cases, collagen subunits spontaneously self-assemble into a fibrilar structure that provides ductility to bone and constitutes the basis of muscle contraction. Translating these natural architectural features into a biomimetic scaffold still remains a great challenge. Here, a simple strategy is proposed to engineer biomimeti...

We use second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy to assess changes in collagen structure of murine cervix during cervical remodeling of normal pregnancy and in a preterm birth model. Visual inspection of SHG images revealed substantial changes in collagen morphology throughout normal gestation. SHG images collected in both the forward and backward directions were analyzed quantitatively for c...

The morphology, distribution, and configuration of coiled perimysial fibers of rat heart papillary muscle were studied. Methods included bright-field light microscopy of silver-stained sections, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and differential interference contrast light microscopy of unfixed and unstained specimens. Coiled fibers, elliptical in cross section, are arranged in a b...