title: Development and utilization of a bovine type I collagen microfibril model.
abstract: The structure of fibrous collagen, a long triple helix that self-associates in a staggered array to form a matrix of fibrils, fibers and fiber bundles, makes it uniquely suitable as a scaffold for biomaterial engineering. A major challenge for this application is to stabilize collagen structure by means that are acceptable for the end use. The bovine type I collagen microfibril model, built by computer assisted modeling, comprised of five right-handed triple helices in a left-handed super coil containing gap and overlap regions as well as the nonhelical telopeptides is a tool for predicting or visualizing chemistry to stabilize the matrix, insert an active agent, or otherwise modify collagen.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA. eleanor.brown@ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: Eleanor M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D020894:Microfibrils / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000737:chemistry; D055550:Protein Stability; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D012984:Software; D013633:Tanning; D013634:Tannins / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D059808:Polyphenols; D013634:Tannins; D014867:Water