Collagen

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Collagen


  • 12 type of fibre
  • each fibril made of 3 polypeptide a-helices
  • Types I,II and III microscopically visible
  • Type I
    • fibrils 50-90 nm in diameter
    • occur in dermis, bone, tendon, fascia
    • strong - breaking force = several hundred kg cm-2
  • Type II
    • in hyaline and elastic cartilage, nucleus pulpous of intervertebral disc and vitreous body of eye
    • thin fibrils
    • abundant in ground substance
  • Type III
    • abundant in loose connective tissue, wall of blood vessels, stroma of glands, spleen, kidneys, uterus
    • forms reticular fibres, linked into meshwork by associated proteins
    • stains with silver
  • Type IV
    • restricted to basal lamina of epithelia
    • meshwork of fibres provides selective filtration barrier for macromolecules
 

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