title: Studies on the formation mechanism and the structure of the anisotropic collagen gel prepared by dialysis-induced anisotropic gelation.
abstract: We have found that dialysis of 5 mg/mL collagen solution into the phosphate solution with a pH of 7.1 and an ionic strength of 151 mM [corrected] at 25 °C results in a collagen gel with a birefringence and tubular pores aligned parallel to the growth direction of the gel. The time course of averaged diameter of tubular pores during the anisotropic gelation was expressed by a power law with an exponent of 1/3, suggesting that the formation of tubular pores is attributed to a spinodal decomposition-like phase separation. Small angle light scattering patterns and high resolution confocal laser scanning microscope images of the anisotropic collagen gel suggested that the collagen fibrils are aligned perpendicular to the growth direction of the gel. The positional dependence of the order parameter of the collagen fibrils showed that the anisotropic collagen gel has an orientation gradient.
authors: Hokkaido University, Kita-ku Kita 10 Nishi 8, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. kfurusawa@sci.hokudai.ac.jp
authors: Kazuya
authors: K
authors: Furusawa
authors: Shoichi
authors: S
authors: Sato
authors: Jyun-ichi
authors: J
authors: Masumoto
authors: Yohei
authors: Y
authors: Hanazaki
authors: Yasuyuki
authors: Y
authors: Maki
authors: Toshiaki
authors: T
authors: Dobashi
authors: Takao
authors: T
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Akimasa
authors: A
authors: Fukui
authors: Naoki
authors: N
authors: Sasaki
mesh_terms: D016880:Anisotropy; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry*; D005782:Gels; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D003094:Collagen