Manipulation of Collagen Fibers for Mechanical Characterization

Introduction Collagen is the most abundant protein in the mammalian anatomy, manifesting itself in a wide variety of forms, functions, and types. In biological systems, collagen fibers provide the major mechanical support for cell attachment, thus developing the shape and form of tissues1. Collagen is used as scaffolding material in tissue engineering, but must first be characterized for mechanical strength. Traditional methods for fiber characterization are not suitable for sub-micron size collagen. The Zyvex L100 Manipulator System is the instrument of choice for characterizing fibers on these length scales. This application note presents a brief description of collagen, its applications, and describes how the Zyvex L100 can be used to manipulate microscopic collagen fibers for mechanical characterization.