Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

$X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples$ 01:10

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...

X-ray Crystallography

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...

Determination of Crystal Structures

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Optimized detection of caspase-6 activation in a murine inflammation model to inform neurodegenerative disease therapies.

PloS one·2026

Same author

Lithium-selective supramolecular assembly and capture by tripeptide gelators.

Chemical science·2026

Same author

Correction: A theoretical framework to understand high electron mobilities in cable bacteria.

Chemical science·2026

Same author

Modular salt-induced nanostructures formed by a functionalized dipeptide system.

Matter·2026

Same author

Cooperative Architecture of Mitochondrial Proteome Homeostasis.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026

Same author

Comparison of Subcutaneous Versus Intramuscular Estradiol Administration for Feminizing Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy.

Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same journal

Corrigendum to "Injectable hydrogel-assisted local lipopolysaccharide delivery improves immune checkpoint blockade therapy" [Acta Biomaterialia 2025, 194, 153-168].

Acta biomaterialia·2026

Same journal

Enhanced Antithrombogenic Performance of Microfluidic Oxygenators through Dual Bioactive Surface Modification for an Artificial Placenta System.

Acta biomaterialia·2026

Same journal

Interface engineering to enhance properties of bioprosthetic heart valve materials with polysaccharide nanocomposite-conjugated hydrogels.

Acta biomaterialia·2026

Same journal

Thermoresponsive hydrogel for long-acting delivery of structurally intact and biologically active Fab fragment and monoclonal antibody.

Acta biomaterialia·2026

Same journal

Cell crowding initiates tumor invasion by triggering a nanoscale topography transition of plasma membranes.

Acta biomaterialia·2026

Same journal

Mechanical properties, polymerization, and humidity effects on the egg glue of the Southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula L. (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

Acta biomaterialia·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Imaging of the Microstructural Failure Mechanism in the Human Hip

Imaging of the Microstructural Failure Mechanism in the Human Hip

Published on: September 29, 2023

Probing multi-scale mechanical damage in connective tissues using X-ray diffraction.

Fabio Bianchi¹, Felix Hofmann², Andrew J Smith³

¹Institute of Biomedical Engineering (IBME), Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, UK.

Acta Biomaterialia

|August 25, 2016

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Repetitive loading causes microstructural collagen damage, leading to tendon injuries. X-ray diffraction revealed that while tissue modulus remained unchanged, fibril modulus decreased and molecular modulus increased, localizing damage to cross-links.

Keywords:

Collagen Damage Tendon X-ray diffraction

More Related Videos

$Stress Distribution During Cold Compression of Rocks and Mineral Aggregates Using Synchrotron-based X-Ray Diffraction$

Stress Distribution During Cold Compression of Rocks and Mineral Aggregates Using Synchrotron-based X-Ray Diffraction

Published on: May 20, 2018

A Method to Study the Correlation Between Local Collagen Structure and Mechanical Properties of Atherosclerotic Plaque Fibrous Tissue

A Method to Study the Correlation Between Local Collagen Structure and Mechanical Properties of Atherosclerotic Plaque Fibrous Tissue

Published on: November 11, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Imaging of the Microstructural Failure Mechanism in the Human Hip

Imaging of the Microstructural Failure Mechanism in the Human Hip

Published on: September 29, 2023

$Stress Distribution During Cold Compression of Rocks and Mineral Aggregates Using Synchrotron-based X-Ray Diffraction$

Stress Distribution During Cold Compression of Rocks and Mineral Aggregates Using Synchrotron-based X-Ray Diffraction

Published on: May 20, 2018

A Method to Study the Correlation Between Local Collagen Structure and Mechanical Properties of Atherosclerotic Plaque Fibrous Tissue

A Method to Study the Correlation Between Local Collagen Structure and Mechanical Properties of Atherosclerotic Plaque Fibrous Tissue

Published on: November 11, 2022

Area of Science:

Biomaterials Science
Orthopedic Research
Biophysics

Background:

Repetitive loading can cause microstructural collagen damage, leading to painful tendon injuries.
Collagen's hierarchical, semi-crystalline nature makes X-ray diffraction a suitable method for studying its mechanics.
Understanding collagen damage mechanisms is crucial for developing effective therapies for tissue repair.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate multi-structural changes in tendon collagen after controlled plastic damage (5% permanent strain).
To utilize X-ray diffraction techniques to analyze collagen at molecular and fibril levels during tensile loading.

Main Methods:

In situ tensile loading of physiologically hydrated rat-tail tendons.
Simultaneous small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) to assess molecular spacing and strain.
Analysis of higher-order SAXS peaks to identify structural changes and damage localization.

Main Results:

Tissue-level modulus remained unchanged, but fibril modulus significantly decreased.
Molecular modulus significantly increased, indicating altered molecular mechanics.
Structural changes in collagen's gap and overlap regions suggest damage is localized to molecular cross-links.

Conclusions:

Controlled plastic damage alters collagen at multiple structural levels, with damage localized to molecular cross-links.
Findings provide new insights into fundamental damage processes in collagenous tissues.
Results pave the way for novel strategies in tendon injury mitigation and repair.