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Related Experiment Videos

Atomic force microscopy of intact and digested collagen molecules.

S Yamamoto1, F Nakamura, J Hitomi

  • 1Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Japan. shin@med.niigata-u.ac.jp

Journal of Electron Microscopy
|December 7, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed the structure of intact collagen type I molecules as twisted threads. Collagenase digestion degraded these molecules into fragments, indicating triple-helix unraveling.

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Biochemistry
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Collagen type I is a crucial structural protein in connective tissues.
  • Understanding collagen's molecular structure is vital for tissue engineering and biomaterials.
  • Atomic force microscopy (AFM) offers high-resolution imaging of biological molecules.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the structure of intact and digested collagen type I molecules using AFM.
  • To visualize the effects of collagenase digestion on collagen molecular morphology.
  • To correlate AFM observations with biochemical analysis of collagen fragments.

Main Methods:

  • Collagen type I from bovine skin was prepared and visualized using non-contact mode AFM.
  • Collagen molecules were digested with Clostridium histolyticum collagenase.

Related Experiment Videos

  • AFM imaging was performed in air after air-drying samples on a mica plate.
  • Results were compared with sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) data.

    • Main Results:

    • Intact collagen type I molecules appeared as twisted threads (280-310 nm length) with uneven surfaces and globular ends.
    • Characteristic depressions were observed along the molecule, notably around 70 nm from one end.
    • Collagenase digestion yielded fragments of varying lengths, consistent with SDS-PAGE findings.
    • Fragment ends exhibited a tufted appearance, suggesting triple-helix unwinding.

    Conclusions:

    • AFM provides detailed structural insights into collagen type I molecules.
    • Collagenase digestion leads to fragmentation and unraveling of the collagen triple helix.
    • The study elucidates collagen's structural response to enzymatic degradation at the nanoscale.