The aim of this study was to investigate whether torasemide modifies collagen cross-linking in the failing human heart. We analyzed the degree of cross-linking and the expression of the enzyme lysyl oxidase, which regulates cross-linking, in the myocardium of patients with chronic heart failure at baseline and after 8 months of treatment with either torasemide or furosemide in addition to their...

Collagen fibrils can be isolated from mature uncalcified connective tissue by a preliminary treatment with crude bacterial a-amylase. This type of collagen fibril has been described as Nishihara collagen (Steven, 1964). Amino acid analyses of Nishihara collagen preparations indicate that the fibrils are a highly purified form of collagen, containing less of the impurities which are often found ...

The small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs) are important regulators of extracellular matrix assembly and cell signalling. We have determined crystal structures at ~2.2Å resolution of human fibromodulin and chondroadherin, two collagen-binding SLRPs. Their overall fold is similar to that of the prototypical SLRP, decorin, but unlike decorin neither fibromodulin nor chondroadherin forms a stabl...

Collagen is an essential component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and is a suitable material for nerve repair during tissue remodeling for fracture repair. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), an extract of green tea, shows various biological activities that are beneficial to nerve repair. Here, we developed modified collagen containing different concentrations of EGCG (0.0064%, 0.064%, and 0....

A 12-year-old boy with difficulty in wound healing and abnormal scars since early childhood was examined. Light microscopy showed loose and disperse dermal collagen with rare bundles, and fibroblasts show an irregular morphology. The fibrous sheath of hair presented a normal parallel distribution of the collagen fibers with normal spindle-shaped fibroblasts. Transmission electron microscopy als...

INTRODUCTION Within the last decades, collagen types I and III have been established as a sufficient biomaterial for GBR and GTR procedures. They might also be an adequate matrix for soft tissue augmentations. However, collagen materials differ significantly regarding resorption time, biodegradation pattern and the invasion of inflammatory cells.The aim of the present study was to compare the b...

The role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in uterine fibroids (UF) has recently been appreciated. Overhydroxylation of lysine residues and the subsequent formation of hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP) and lysylpyridinoline (LP) cross-links underlie the ECM stiffness and profoundly affect tumor progression. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between ECM of UF, collagen...

Purpose: Our aim was to investigate the serum cross-linked N-telopeptides of type I collagen levels and total antioxidant capacity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: 46 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (24M, 22F) aged 41 to 68 years (54.36 ± 7.92) and 34 healthy controls (17M, 17F) aged 40 to 69 years (52.91 ± 8.04) were enrolled in the study. Serum cross-linked N-telopep...

This study examined the effect of the cross-linking with riboflavin-ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation on the chemical bonds and ultrastructural changes of human sclera tissues using Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Raman spectroscopy of the normal and cross-linked human sclera tissue revealed different types of the riboflavin-UVA and collagen interactions, which could be iden...

Collagen, the main protein of body, is extracted in different forms and used as reservoir for drug delivery. The aim this work was to obtain adrug delivery systems based on collagen-dextran matrices cross-linked with glutaraldehyde support flufenamic acid and/or microcapsules drug. encapsulated polymeric consisting gelatin, alginate sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. morphology determined by water...