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Related Concept Videos

X-ray Crystallography02:18

X-ray Crystallography

The size of the unit cell and the arrangement of atoms in a crystal may be determined from measurements of the diffraction of X-rays by the crystal, termed X-ray crystallography.
Diffraction
Diffraction is the change in the direction of travel experienced by an electromagnetic wave when it encounters a physical barrier whose dimensions are comparable to those of the wavelength of the light. X-rays are electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths about as long as the distance between neighboring...
X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples01:10

X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples

X-ray diffraction or XRD is an analytical tool that utilizes X-rays to study ordered structures such as crystalline organic and inorganic samples, polycrystalline materials, proteins, carbohydrates, and drugs.
According to Bragg's law, when X-rays strike the sample positioned on a stage, the rays are  scattered by the electron clouds around the sample atoms. The  X-ray diffraction or scattering is caused by constructive interference of the X-ray waves that reflect off the internal crystal...
Determination of Crystal Structures01:29

Determination of Crystal Structures

In the late 1800s, the revelation that light extended beyond visible wavelengths led to the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen. Recognized as high-energy electromagnetic radiation with short wavelengths, X-rays prompted exploration into their interaction with crystals. Max von Laue proposed in 1912 that the periodic arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules in crystals would cause them to diffract X-rays, a hypothesis confirmed through experiments with copper sulfate and zinc sulfide...
X-ray Imaging01:24

X-ray Imaging

German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (1845–1923) was experimenting with electrical current when he discovered that a mysterious and invisible "ray" would pass through his flesh but leave an outline of his bones on a screen coated with a metal compound. In 1895, Röntgen made the first durable record of the internal parts of a living human: an "X-ray" image (as it came to be called) of his wife’s hand. Scientists worldwide quickly began their own experiments with X-rays, and by 1900, X-ray was widely...
Fibril-associated Collagen01:11

Fibril-associated Collagen

Fibril-associated collagens are a type of collagens present in the extracellular matrix with interrupted triple helices or FACIT (Fibril-associated collagens interrupted triple-helices). FACIT help connect and attach the collagen fibrils with each other as well as with other proteins of the extracellular matrix.
For example, the type II collagen fibrils in cartilage have covalently bound type IX fibril-associated collagens at regular intervals. Other types of fibril-associated collagens are...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

In vitro Synthesis of Native, Fibrous Long Spacing and Segmental Long Spacing Collagen
07:54

In vitro Synthesis of Native, Fibrous Long Spacing and Segmental Long Spacing Collagen

Published on: September 20, 2012

Coherent X-ray diffraction from collagenous soft tissues.

Felisa Berenguer de la Cuesta1, Marco P E Wenger, Richard J Bean

  • 1London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN), University College London (UCL), London WC1H 0AH, United Kingdom.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|August 27, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

X-ray ptychography enables high-resolution imaging of biological tissues, revealing collagen fiber structures. This advanced coherent X-ray diffraction technique overcomes limitations of traditional methods for studying soft animal tissues.

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Preparation of Extracellular Matrix Protein Fibers for Brillouin Spectroscopy
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Preparation of Extracellular Matrix Protein Fibers for Brillouin Spectroscopy

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

In vitro Synthesis of Native, Fibrous Long Spacing and Segmental Long Spacing Collagen
07:54

In vitro Synthesis of Native, Fibrous Long Spacing and Segmental Long Spacing Collagen

Published on: September 20, 2012

Quantifying Fibrillar Collagen Organization with Curvelet Transform-Based Tools
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Preparation of Extracellular Matrix Protein Fibers for Brillouin Spectroscopy
07:19

Preparation of Extracellular Matrix Protein Fibers for Brillouin Spectroscopy

Published on: September 15, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Materials Science
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Coherent X-ray diffraction (CXD) excels in imaging inorganic materials but faces challenges with biological specimens due to radiation damage and sample complexity.
  • Existing phasing algorithms for CXD are often limited by the extended nature of biological samples, hindering their widespread application in life sciences.
  • X-ray ptychography is an emerging CXD technique with potential to overcome these limitations for biological imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the feasibility of applying X-ray ptychography for imaging biological specimens, specifically collagen-rich tissues.
  • To demonstrate the potential of ptychography to achieve high-resolution imaging of collagen fibers in various tissues.
  • To explore the contrast mechanisms and data processing for ptychographic imaging of biological samples.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized an optimized small-angle X-ray scattering setup with a highly coherent X-ray beam.
  • Recorded diffraction patterns, characterized by speckles, from soft animal tissues (tendon, skin, bone, cornea).
  • Employed simulations based on atomic force microscopy data to model contrast mechanisms and confirm diffraction pattern characteristics.

Main Results:

  • Observed speckle patterns in diffraction data from collagen-rich biological tissues.
  • Simulations confirmed the 'speckled' nature of diffraction patterns and the contrast mechanism related to collagen structure.
  • Projected ability to generate dark-field images of collagen with 60-70 nm resolution after phase retrieval.

Conclusions:

  • X-ray ptychography is feasible for imaging biological specimens, particularly collagenous tissues.
  • The technique can reveal the disposition and orientation of collagen fibers by enhancing phase contrast.
  • This approach offers a significant advancement for biological and medical imaging, overcoming limitations of current microscopy.