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Updated: Sep 20, 2026

In vitro Synthesis of Native, Fibrous Long Spacing and Segmental Long Spacing Collagen
Published on: September 20, 2012
[Three-dimensional structure of collagen fibril of pigskin]
Zhiqiang Li1, Yingme Wang, Min Chen
1Key Laboratory of Leather Chemistry and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
Objective:
To probe deply into the three-dimensional structure of pigskin collagen fibril and provide the basic data for using the pigskin tissue as tissue engineering material.
Methods:
Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) were employed to study the three-dimensional structure of collagen fibril in pigskin tissue.
Results:
Microscopy revealed that pigskin collagen fibril had periodic transverse groove (i.e. D-periodicity) which was about 67 nm. The diameter of fibril ranged from 57 to 135 nm, showing much difference among the papillary layer, reticular layer and infra-reticular layer. The length of fibril varied from 5 to 13 microns. Both ends of fibril were rotund and slightly bulgy. The fibrils assembled and the D-periodicities were homologous in flank. In axial direction fibrils were found staggered end by end.
Conclusion:
The data obtained in this study on the three-dimensional structure of pigskin collagen fibril are of significance to researches in tissue engineering materials.
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