Collagen networks

Random collagen fibres provide an insoluble gel-like primary network and polyanionic hyaluronic acid a secondary network, which confers the viscoelastic property and stabilizes the collagen network (Balzas and Delinger, 1984). 

Wang X, Shen X, Li X, Mauli Agrawal C (2002) Age-related changes in the collagen network and toughness of bone. Bone 31 1-7... 

The stress-strain curve for skin is shown in Figure 5.126. For strains up to about 30%, the collagen network offers little resistance to deformation, which is similar to... 

Sites of concentration -There are other sites where drugs may accumulate besides in the water portion of the blood or within fat tissue. The blood also contains a host of proteins which can bind vitamins, metabolites and xenobiotics. In addition, the collagen network of bone and connective tissue can act as a depository for various ions. 

Drosophila type IV collagen Network Basement membrane 444 17... 

Dogfish egg case collagen is relatively short (about 45 nm) and assembles in a remarkably regular network. It has proved a good model for the study of collagen network formation, in particular collagen VI networks. 

Yurchenco, P. D., and Ruben, G. C. (1987). Basement membrane structure in situ Evidence for lateral associations in the type IV collagen network. J. Cell Biol. 105, 2559-2568. 

Figure 2.29. Network structure of laminin in basement membranes. Basement membranes contain a laminin network that is covalently cross-linked to a type IV collagen network.

We have presented information on the elastic and viscous stress-strain behaviors for a variety of different ECMs in preparation for relating changes in external loading and mechanochemical transduction processes. In order to determine the exact external loading in each tissue that stimulates mechanochemical transduction processes we must take into account the balance between passive loading incorporated into the collagen network in the tissue and active loading applied externally. Inasmuch as the passive load is different for each tissue and is also a function of age (the tension in tissues decreases with age), the net load experienced at the cellular level is difficult to calculate. 

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