Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 11, 2026

Force-Clamp Rheometry for Characterizing Protein-based Hydrogels
Published on: August 21, 2018
Do Non-collagenous Proteins Affect Skeletal Mechanical Properties?
Stacyann Morgan1, Atharva A Poundarik, Deepak Vashishth
1Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies (Rm 2213) and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy, NY, 12180, USA.
Abstract:
The remarkable mechanical behavior of bone is attributed to its complex nanocomposite structure that, in addition to mineral and collagen, comprises a variety of non-collagenous matrix proteins or NCPs. Traditionally, NCPs have been studied as signaling molecules in biological processes including bone formation, resorption, and turnover. Limited attention has been given to their role in determining the mechanical properties of bone. Recent studies have highlighted that NCPs can indeed be lost or modified with aging, diseases, and drug therapies. Homozygous and heterozygous mice models of key NCP provide a useful approach to determine the impact of NCPs on bone morphology as well as matrix quality, and to carry out detailed mechanical analysis for elucidating the pathway by which NCPs can affect the mechanical properties of bone. In this article, we present a systematic analysis of a large cohort of NCPs on bone's structural and material hierarchy, and identify three principal pathways by which they determine bone's mechanical properties. These pathways include alterations of bone morphological parameters crucial for bone's structural competency, bone quality changes in key matrix parameters (mineral and collagen), and a direct role as load-bearing structural proteins.
More Related Videos
10:55Extracting the Young's Modulus of Native Murine Pulmonary Basement Membranes from Atomic Force Microscopy Derived Force Maps
Published on: January 31, 2025
07:35High-Throughput Contractile Measurements of Hydrogel-Embedded Intact Mouse Muscle Fibers Using an Optics-Based System
Published on: May 5, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Fibrous Proteins
Collagens are the Major Structural Proteins of ECM
Connective tissue proper includes loose...
Structural Protein Function
Collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, is found throughout the body. In connective tissue, such as skin, ligaments, and tendons, it provides tensile strength and elasticity. In bones and teeth, it mineralizes to...
Mechanical Protein Functions
Matrix Proteoglycans and Glycoproteins
Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...