BACKGROUND Gluteal muscle contracture (GMC) is a multi-factor human chronic fibrotic disease of the gluteal muscle. Fibrotic tissue is characterized by excessive accumulation of collagen in the muscle's extracellular matrix. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and -beta2 are thought to play an important role in fibrogenesis, while TGF-beta3 is believed to have an anti-fibrotic function. We h...

The adhesion of human and rabbit platelets to collagens and collagen-derived fragments immobilized on plastic was investigated. Adhesion appeared to be independent of collagen conformation, since similar attachment occurred to collagen (type I) in monomeric form, as fibres or in denatured state. The adhesion of human platelets was stimulated to a variable degree by Mg2+, but rabbit platelet adh...

The isolation of acid-soluble collagen (ASC) from by-products snakehead fish (Channa striata), including skin and the mixture scale, has been investigated. recovery yield ASC (13.6%) was higher than scale (12.09%). Both ASCs were identified as type I showed maximal solubility at pH 2. Collagen samples had imino acid content (226 residues/1000 residues) lower wavenumber in amide III region (1642...

Soluble fibronectin is found in body fluids and media of adherent cultured cells and binds to fibrin and collagen. Insoluble fibronectin is found in tissue stroma and in extracellular matrices of cultured cells. Fibronectin is a substrate for Factor XIIIa (plasma transglutaminase) and can be cross-linked by Factor XIIIa to itself and the the alpha-chain of fibrin. We used sodium dodecyl sulfate...

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common, debilitating disorder affecting millions of women. Uterosacral ligaments (USLs) are the main supportive structures of the uterus and vagina and are often attenuated in women with POP. Although the mechanical strength of USLs is known to be dependent on collagen synthesis and catabolism and the degradation protein MMP2 has been implicated in POP, the mole...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the ultrastructure and content of collagen in uterosacral ligaments and paraurethral tissues in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI), analyzing the association between POP and collagen dysfunction. The study comprised three groups: Control, POP and POP with SUI (n=30 per group). Histological characteristi...