Synchrotron X-ray diffraction patterns from amnion.

<p>Representative (false colour) patterns collected from amnion proximal (a) and distal (b) to the placenta. Arrows indicate position of the interfibrillar reflection (magenta) other coloured rings close to the beamstop are background/backscatter. X-ray diffraction patterns displayed an anisotropic arrangement of collagen fibrils within the distal amniotic tissue.</p

Radial distribution functions (RDF) calculated from positions of amnion fibrils in cross section from representative images.

<p>The primary RDF peak (*) from amnion distal to the placenta was lower and broader than the corresponding peak from amnion proximal to the placenta indicating less regular fibril spacing. The bulk fibril number density (ρ) was also decreased in distal amniotic tissue (arrows).</p

Transmission electron micrographs from the fibroblastic layer of amnion.

<p>Collagen fibrils appear more regularly aligned, closer together and in more obvious bundles (bd) within the stroma of amnion proximal to the placenta (a), than those shown in the tissue distal to the placenta (b). Scale bar = 1 µm.</p

Intensity profiles across representative X-ray diffraction patterns collected from the amnion.

<p>Examination of intensity versus distance plots provided interfibrillar Bragg spacing measurements from amnion proximal (a) and distal (b) to the placenta. The lower broader interference function with a mean peak position of 75 nm from the distal amnion suggests that this region contains a less ordered fibril collagen arrangement and a higher mean interfibrillar Bragg spacing than that shown by proximal amniotic tissue.</p