Single molecule mechanical properties of type II collagen and hyaluronan measured by optical tweezers.
Type II collagen and hyaluronan are the two major components of extracellular molecules in cartilage and play an important role in mechanical functions of extracellular matrix. Currently, their mechanical properties have been investigated only at the gross-level. In this study, the mechanical properties of single type II collagen and hyaluronan molecules were directly measured using optical tweezers technique. The persistence length was found to be 11.2+/-8.4 nm in type II collagen and 4.5+/-1.2 nm in hyaluronan. This result suggested that type II collagen is stiffer than hyaluronan at the individual molecule level, which supports the general concept that collagen is responsible for resisting tensile force. The experimental system developed here also provides a powerful tool for quantifying mechanical properties of extracellular matrix at the single molecule level.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. luo@bcm.tmc.edu
Zong-Ping
ZP
Luo
Yu-Long
YL
Sun
Tadashi
T
Fujii
Kai-Nan
KN
An
D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004548:Elasticity; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008846:Micromanipulation; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008857:Microscopy, Interference; D036103:Nanotechnology; D012212:Rheology / Q000379:methods
D024043:Collagen Type II; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid