This paper describes a noninvasive method for evaluating regional elasticity in atheroma in which a novel method is applied to measure minute changes in thickness of each of the multiple layers of the arterial wall during one heartbeat. By comparing the pathological findings with the elasticity distribution, statistic parameters for lipid and a mixture of smooth muscle and collagen fiber can be...

Collagen is a key structural protein in the extracellular matrix of many tissues. It provides biological tissues with tensile mechanical strength and is enzymatically cleaved by a class of matrix metalloproteinases known as collagenases. Collagen enzymatic kinetics has been well characterized in solubilized, gel, and reconstituted forms. However, limited information exists on enzyme degradation...

The sclera is the white outer shell and principal load-bearing tissue of the eye as it sustains the intraocular pressure. We have hypothesized that the mechanical properties of the posterior sclera play a significant role in and are altered by the development of glaucoma-an ocular disease manifested by structural damage to the optic nerve head. An anisotropic hyperelastic constitutive model is ...

The basic building block of the extra-cellular matrix in native tissue is collagen. As a structural protein, collagen has an inherent biocompatibility making it an ideal material for regenerative medicine. Cellular response, mediated by integrins, is dictated by the structure and chemistry of the collagen fibers. Fiber formation, via fibrillogenesis, can be controlled in vitro by several factor...

Collagen, the major structural protein of the extracellular matrix in animals, is a versatile biomaterial used in various tissue engineering applications. Crosslinking influences the mechanical properties, resorption kinetics, and biocompatibility of collagen-based biomaterials. In this study, we evaluated the effects of crosslinking on collagen fiber–fibroblast interactions in vitro. Collagen ...

OBJECTIVE The structure of the collagen scar during healing of a myocardial infarction is a determinant of the function of the remodeled tissue. We hypothesize that the passive deformations of both scar and normal tissue are related to the underlying collagen uncoiling as the tissue stretches, and that the unloaded tortuosity of the collagen may be a determinant of tissue stiffness at low ventr...

BACKGROUND Tendon injury is one of the most frequent injuries in sports activities. TENS is a physical agent used in the treatment of pain but its influence on the tendon's healing process is unclear. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of TENS on the healing of partial rupture of the Achilles tendon in rats. METHOD Sixty Wistar rats were submitted to a partial rupture of the Achilles tendo...

BACKGROUND Periostin is a novel matricellular protein expressed in many tissues, including bone, periodontal ligament, and skin. Although its expression is prominent in various fibrotic conditions, studies of periostin in localized scleroderma are rare. OBJECTIVE To investigate the expression of periostin and other molecules in localized scleroderma. METHODS A retrospective study of 14 pati...

Type I collagen-PEO fibers and non-woven fiber networks were produced by the electrospinning of a weak acid solution of purified collagen at ambient temperature and pressure. As determined by high-resolution SEM and TEM. fiber morphology was influenced by solution viscosity, conductivity, and flow rate. Uniform fibers with a diameter range of 100-150 nm were produced from a 2-wt% solution of co...

Light and electron microscope immunohistochemical methods were used to study the distribution of several proteins in rat skeletal muscle. The aims were to identify components of muscle fiber basement membrane and to compare the small fraction (0.1%) of the basement membrane that extends through the synaptic cleft at the neuromuscular junction with the remaining, extrasynaptic portion. Synaptic ...