16 research outputs found
Mechanical model for a collagen fibril pair in extracellular matrix
In this paper, we model the mechanics of a collagen pair in the connective
tissue extracellular matrix that exists in abundance throughout animals,
including the human body. This connective tissue comprises repeated units of
two main structures, namely collagens as well as axial, parallel and regular
anionic glycosaminoglycan between collagens. The collagen fibril can be modeled
by Hooke's law whereas anionic glycosaminoglycan behaves more like a
rubber-band rod and as such can be better modeled by the worm-like chain model.
While both computer simulations and continuum mechanics models have been
investigated the behavior of this connective tissue typically, authors either
assume a simple form of the molecular potential energy or entirely ignore the
microscopic structure of the connective tissue. Here, we apply basic physical
methodologies and simple applied mathematical modeling techniques to describe
the collagen pair quantitatively. We find that the growth of fibrils is
intimately related to the maximum length of the anionic glycosaminoglycan and
the relative displacement of two adjacent fibrils, which in return is closely
related to the effectiveness of anionic glycosaminoglycan in transmitting
forces between fibrils. These reveal the importance of the anionic
glycosaminoglycan in maintaining the structural shape of the connective tissue
extracellular matrix and eventually the shape modulus of human tissues. We also
find that some macroscopic properties, like the maximum molecular energy and
the breaking fraction of the collagen, are also related to the microscopic
characteristics of the anionic glycosaminoglycan
Aligning Teaching to Learning: A 3-Year Study Examining the Embedding of Language and Argumentation into Elementary Science Classrooms
Sterilization of allograft bone: effects of gamma irradiation on allograft biology and biomechanics
Gamma irradiation from Cobalt 60 sources has been used to terminally sterilize bone allografts for many years. Gamma radiation adversely affects the mechanical and biological properties of bone allografts by degrading the collagen in bone matrix. Specifically, gamma rays split polypeptide chains. In wet specimens irradiation causes release of free radicals via radiolysis of water molecules that induces cross-linking reactions in collagen molecules. These effects are dose dependent and give rise to a dose-dependent decrease in mechanical properties of allograft bone when gamma dose is increased above 25 kGy for cortical bone or 60 kGy for cancellous bone. But at doses between 0 and 25 kGy (standard dose), a clear relationship between gamma dose and mechanical properties has yet to be established. In addition, the effects of gamma radiation on graft remodelling have not been intensively investigated. There is evidence that the activity of osteoclasts is reduced when they are cultured onto irradiated bone slices, that peroxidation of marrow fat increases apoptosis of osteoblasts; and that bacterial products remain after irradiation and induce inflammatory bone resorption following macrophage activation. These effects need considerably more investigation to establish their relevance to clinical outcomes. International consensus on an optimum dose of radiation has not been achieved due to a wide range of confounding variables and individual decisions by tissue banks. This has resulted in the application of doses ranging from 15 to 35 kGy. Here, we provide a critical review on the effects of gamma irradiation on the mechanical and biological properties of allograft bone