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The articular cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) has a highly specialized architecture that is zonally organized: the superficial zone consists mostly of collagen II fibers aligned parallel to the articular surface to resist shear forces, whereas the deep zone consists of the same fibers aligned perpendicularly to the bone interface to absorb ...
Collagen fibers (which provide mechanical stiffness in cartilage) in this region are anchored directly to bones, reducing the possible deformation. Moving closer to soft tissue into the region known as the tidemark, the density of chondrocytes increases and collagen fibers are rearranged to optimize for stress dissipation and low friction. The ...
Flattened cells are oriented parallel to the surface, along with the collagen fibers, in the superficial zone, the region of highest cell density. In the middle zone, chondrocytes are larger and more rounded and display a random distribution, in which the collagen fibers also are more randomly arranged.
Guiding: collagen fibers guide fibroblasts because they migrate along a connective tissue matrix. Chemotaxis: collagen fibers have a large surface area which attracts fibrogenic cells which help healing. Nucleation: in the presence of certain neutral salt molecules, collagen can act as a nucleating agent causing formation of fibrillar structures.
With increasing tissue deformation the collagen is gradually stretched in the direction of deformation. When taut, these fibers produce a strong growth in tissue stiffness. The composite behavior is analogous to a nylon stocking, whose rubber band does the role of elastin as the nylon does the role of collagen. In soft tissues, the collagen ...
A common pathological disorder concerning the tunica externa is scurvy, also known as vitamin C deficiency. Scurvy occurs because vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen, and without it, the faulty collagen cannot maintain the vein walls and rupture, leading to a multitude of problems.
The cardiac skeleton binds several bands of dense connective tissue, as collagen, that encircle the bases of the pulmonary trunk, aorta, and all four heart valves. [2] While not a traditionally or "true" or rigid skeleton, it does provide structure and support for the heart, as well as isolate the atria from the ventricles. This is why atrial ...
Such proteins serve protective and structural roles by forming connective tissue, tendons, bone matrices, and muscle fiber. Fibrous proteins consist of many families including keratin, collagen, elastin, fibrin or spidroin. Collagen is the most abundant of these proteins which exists in vertebrate connective tissue including tendon, cartilage ...