Combining nano-physical and computational investigations to understand the nature of “aging” in dermal collagen

Journal article

The extracellular matrix of the dermis is a complex, dynamic system with the various dermal components undergoing individual physiologic changes as we age. Age-related changes in the physical properties of collagen were investigated in particular by measuring the effect of aging, most likely due to the accumulation of advanced glycation end product (AGE) cross-links, on the nanomechanical properties of the collagen fibril using atomic force microscope nano-indentation. An age-related decrease in the Young’s modulus of the transverse fibril was observed (from 8.11 to 4.19 GPa in young to old volunteers, respectively, P<0.001). It is proposed that this is due to a change in the fibril density caused by age-related differences in water retention within the fibrils. The new collagen–water interaction mechanism was verified by electronic structure calculations, showing it to be energetically feasible

Authors: Ahmed, T; Nash, A; Clark, KE; Ghibaudo, M; de Leeuw, NH

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Journal: International Journal of Nanomedicine
• Volume: Volume 12
• Pages: 3303-3314
• Publication date: 2017-04-21
• DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s121400
• EISSN: 1178-2013
• ISSN: 1176-9114
• Language: English
• Keywords: Anatomy; Materials science; Biology; Fibril; Glycation; Biochemistry; Nanotechnology; Biophysics; Dermis; Medicine; Collagen fibril; Chemistry; Extracellular matrix; Atomic force microscopy