Micromechanical testing of individual collagen fibrils

van der Rijt, Joost A. J.; van der Werf, Kees O.; Bennink, Martin L.; Dijkstra, Pieter J.; Feijen, Jan

Affiliations

¹Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials, Institute for Biomedical Technology, Department of Science and Technology, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands

²Biophysical Engineering, MESAþ Institute for Nanotechnology, Departmet of Science and Technology, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands

Abstract and keywords

A novel method based on AFM was used to attach individual collagen fibrils between a glass surface and the AFM tip, to allow force spectroscopy studies of these. The fibrils were deposited on glass substrates that are partly coated with Teflon AF®. A modified AFM tip was used to accurately deposit epoxy glue droplets on either end of the collagen fibril that cross the glass-Teflon AF® interface, as to such attach it with one end to the glass and the other end to the AFM tip. Single collagen fibrils have been mechanically tested in ambient conditions and were found to behave reversibly up to stresses of 90 MPa. Within this regime a Young's modulus of 2–7 GPa was obtained. In aqueous media, the collagen fibrils could be tested reversibly up to about 15 MPa, revealing Young's moduli ranging from 0.2 to at most 0.8 GPa.

Keywords: atomic force microscopy (AFM);biofibers;collagen fibrils;force spectroscopy;mechanical properties

Links

DOI: 10.1002/mabi.200600063

PubMed: 16967482

WoS: 000240899800001

History

Received: 2006-03-16

Revised: 2006-06-02

Accepted: 2006-06-08

Online: 2006-09-11

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2010	Hamed E, Lee Y, Jasiuk I. Multiscale modeling of elastic properties of cortical bone. Acta Mech. August 2010;213(1):131-154.
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2008	Buehler MJ. Nanomechanics of collagen fibrils under varying cross-link densities: atomistic and continuum studies. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. January 2008;1(1):59-67.
2020	Maghsoudi-Ganjeh M, Wang X, Zeng X. Computational investigation of the effect of water on the nanomechanical behavior of bone. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. January 2020;101:103454.
2011	Gautieri A, Vesentini S, Redaelli A, Buehler MJ. Hierarchical structure and nanomechanics of collagen microfibrils from the atomistic scale up. Nano Lett. February 9, 2011;11(2):757-766.
2010	Shen ZL. Tensile Mechanical Properties of Isolated Collagen Fibrils Obtained by Microelectromechanical Systems Technology [PhD thesis]. Cleveland, OH: Case Western Reserve University; August 2010.
2019	Alexander Groetsch. Micro- and Nanomechanics of Mineralised Collagen Fibre Elasto-Plasticity [PhD thesis]. Ebinburgh, Scotland: Heriot-Watt University; November 2019.
2012	Hamed E. Multiscale Modeling of Elastic Moduli and Strength of Bone [PhD thesis]. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; 2012.
2019	Neves E. The Effect of Strain on the Minerlization of Individual Collagen Fibrils [Master's thesis]. Northeastern University; December 2019.
2012	Ma X. Finite Element Modeling of Collagen Fibers in the Mechanical Interaction Between Cells and the Extracellular Matrix [PhD thesis]. The Ohio State University; 2012.
2019	Akintunde AR. Mathematical Modeling to Elucidate Underlying Matrix Mechanisms in the Mechanical Response of Biological Soft Tissues [PhD thesis]. Tulane University; July 2019.
2011	Reisinger AG. Modeling and Validation of Multiscale Lamellar Bone Elasticity [PhD thesis]. Vienna University of Technology; November 2011.
2011	Spiesz EM. Experimental and Computational Micromechanics of Mineralized Tendon and Bone [PhD thesis]. Vienna University of Technology; October 2011.
2015	Connizzo BK. The Connection of Composition, Structure, and Dynamic Processes to Tendon Mechanics: Structure-Function Relationships in Collagen V Deficient Tendons [PhD thesis]. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania; 2015.
2015	Szczesny SE. Analysis of the Contribution of Interfibrillar Sliding on Tendon Fascicle Multiscale Mechanics [PhD thesis]. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania; 2015.
2020	Maghsoudi-Ganjeh M. Computational Investigation of Ultrastructural Behavior of Bone and Bone-Inspired Materials [PhD thesis]. San Antionio, TX: University of Texas at San Antonio; May 2020.