Two-dimensional nanoscale structural and functional imaging in individual collagen type I fibrils.
The piezoelectric properties of single collagen type I fibrils in fascia were imaged with sub-20 nm spatial resolution using piezoresponse force microscopy. A detailed analysis of the piezoresponse force microscopy signal in controlled tip-fibril geometry revealed shear piezoelectricity parallel to the fibril axis. The direction of the displacement is preserved along the whole fiber length and is independent of the fiber conformation. It is shown that individual fibrils within bundles in skeletal muscle fascia can have opposite polar orientations and are organized into domains, i.e., groups of several fibers having the same polar orientation. We were also able to detect piezoelectric activity of collagen fibrils in the high-frequency range up to 200 kHz, suggesting that the mechanical response time of biomolecules to electrical stimuli can be approximately 5 micros.
Harnagea
Catalin
C
Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Energie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, Varennes, Québec, Canada.
Vallières
Martin
M
Pfeffer
Christian P
CP
Wu
Dong
D
Olsen
Bjorn R
BR
Pignolet
Alain
A
Légaré
François
F
Gruverman
Alexei
A
D000818:Animals; D016880:Anisotropy; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004560:Electricity; D051379:Mice; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008958:Models, Molecular; D057054:Molecular Imaging; D036103:Nanotechnology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013997:Time Factors
D024042:Collagen Type I