Micromechanical bending of single collagen fibrils using atomic force microscopy.

A new micromechanical technique was developed to study the mechanical properties of single collagen fibrils. Single collagen fibrils, the basic components of the collagen fiber, have a characteristic highly organized structure. Fibrils were isolated from collagenous materials and their mechanical properties were studied with atomic force microscopy (AFM). In this study, we determined the Young's modulus of single collagen fibrils at ambient conditions from bending tests after depositing the fibrils on a poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) substrate containing micro-channels. Force-indentation relationships of freely suspended collagen fibrils were determined by loading them with a tip-less cantilever. From the deflection-piezo displacement curve, force-indentation curves could be deduced. With the assumption that the behavior of collagen fibrils can be described by the linear elastic theory of isotropic materials and that the fibrils are freely supported at the rims, a Young's modulus of 5.4 +/- 1.2 GPa was determined. After cross-linking with glutaraldehyde, the Young's modulus of a single fibril increases to 14.7 +/- 2.7 GPa. When it is assumed that the fibril would be fixed at the ends of the channel the Young's moduli of native and cross-linked collagen fibrils are calculated to be 1.4 +/- 0.3 GPa and 3.8 +/- 0.8 GPa, respectively. The minimum and maximum values determined for native and glutaraldehyde cross-linked collagen fibrils represent the boundaries of the Young's modulus.

[1]  Xiaodong Li,et al.  Microtensile testing of collagen fibril for cardiovascular tissue engineering. , 2005, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A.

[2]  Michael Horton,et al.  Topography and mechanical properties of single molecules of type I collagen using atomic force microscopy. , 2005, Biophysical journal.

[3]  R. Cingolani,et al.  Combined capillary force and step and flash lithography , 2005 .

[4]  J. Graham,et al.  Structural changes in human type I collagen fibrils investigated by force spectroscopy. , 2004, Experimental cell research.

[5]  P. Hansma,et al.  Force spectroscopy of collagen fibers to investigate their mechanical properties and structural organization. , 2004, Biophysical journal.

[6]  Kai-Nan An,et al.  Flexibility of type I collagen and mechanical property of connective tissue. , 2004, Biorheology.

[7]  S Mantero,et al.  Possible role of decorin glycosaminoglycans in fibril to fibril force transfer in relative mature tendons--a computational study from molecular to microstructural level. , 2003, Journal of biomechanics.

[8]  Joseph W Freeman,et al.  Collagen self-assembly and the development of tendon mechanical properties. , 2003, Journal of biomechanics.

[9]  P. Hansma,et al.  Investigations into the polymorphism of rat tail tendon fibrils using atomic force microscopy. , 2003, Biochemical and biophysical research communications.

[10]  Kai-Nan An,et al.  Direct quantification of the flexibility of type I collagen monomer. , 2002, Biochemical and biophysical research communications.

[11]  Mehdi Balooch,et al.  In situ atomic force microscopy of partially demineralized human dentin collagen fibrils. , 2002, Journal of structural biology.

[12]  P. Fratzl,et al.  Viscoelastic properties of collagen: synchrotron radiation investigations and structural model. , 2002, Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences.

[13]  M Raspanti,et al.  Hierarchical structures in fibrillar collagens. , 2002, Micron.

[14]  D. Hulmes,et al.  Building collagen molecules, fibrils, and suprafibrillar structures. , 2002, Journal of structural biology.

[15]  Paul K. Hansma,et al.  Bone indentation recovery time correlates with bond reforming time , 2001, Nature.

[16]  T. Irving,et al.  The in situ supermolecular structure of type I collagen. , 2001, Structure.

[17]  W. Landis,et al.  Molecular basis for elastic energy storage in mineralized tendon. , 2001, Biomacromolecules.

[18]  U Ziese,et al.  Corneal collagen fibril structure in three dimensions: Structural insights into fibril assembly, mechanical properties, and tissue organization , 2001, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[19]  F. Silver,et al.  Transition from viscous to elastic-based dependency of mechanical properties of self-assembled type I collagen fibers , 2001 .

[20]  Y. Isono,et al.  Evaluation of size effect on mechanical properties of single crystal silicon by nanoscale bending test using AFM , 2000, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems.

[21]  W. Landis,et al.  The role of mineral in the storage of elastic energy in turkey tendons. , 2000, Biomacromolecules.

[22]  Jaume Esteve,et al.  Determination of micromechanical properties of thin films by beam bending measurements with an atomic force microscope , 1999 .

[23]  G. A. D. Briggs,et al.  Elastic and shear moduli of single-walled carbon nanotube ropes , 1999 .

[24]  A. Hammersley,et al.  Molecular packing of type I collagen in tendon. , 1998, Journal of molecular biology.

[25]  P. Fratzl,et al.  Fibrillar structure and mechanical properties of collagen. , 1998, Journal of structural biology.

[26]  D. Prockop,et al.  The collagen fibril: the almost crystalline structure. , 1998, Journal of structural biology.

[27]  J. M. Lee,et al.  Altered mechanical properties in aortic elastic tissue using glutaraldehyde/solvent solutions of various dielectric constant. , 1997, Journal of biomedical materials research.

[28]  N. Sasaki,et al.  Elongation mechanism of collagen fibrils and force-strain relations of tendon at each level of structural hierarchy. , 1996, Journal of biomechanics.

[29]  N. Sasaki,et al.  Stress-strain curve and Young's modulus of a collagen molecule as determined by the X-ray diffraction technique. , 1996, Journal of biomechanics.

[30]  S. Okuma,et al.  A method for determining the spring constant of cantilevers for atomic force microscopy , 1996 .

[31]  T. Kuriyama,et al.  Fracture behavior and morphology of spun collagen fibers , 1996 .

[32]  W. Friess,et al.  Basic thermoanalytical studies of insoluble collagen matrices. , 1996, Biomaterials.

[33]  F. Silver,et al.  A self-assembled collagen scaffold suitable for use in soft and hard tissue replacement , 1995 .

[34]  J. Scott,et al.  Extracellular matrix, supramolecular organisation and shape. , 1995, Journal of anatomy.

[35]  J. Feijen,et al.  Glutaraldehyde as a crosslinking agent for collagen-based biomaterials , 1995 .

[36]  J. Revel,et al.  Subfibrillar structure of type I collagen observed by atomic force microscopy. , 1993, Biophysical journal.

[37]  J. Schweitz,et al.  Residual stresses and fracture properties of magnetron sputtered Ti films on Si microelements , 1993 .