Influence of Mechanical Load on the Degradation of Corneal Collagen Available to Purchase

Collagen is one of the most important structural proteins in vertebrate animals. Over 25 different types of collagen have been identified, but type I collagen is the most abundant fibril forming collagen and contributes to the structural performance numerous connective tissues including ligaments, tendons and cornea [1]. In addition to collagen self-assembly, collagen degradation is an important step in the development, remodeling, homeostasis and pathology of load-bearing ECM. Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) types I and VIII, bacterial collagenase and cathepsin are the best known enzymes capable of directly degrading the collagen triple helix [2, 3]. Several researchers have hypothesized that straining collagen fibrils makes them less susceptible to enzymatic degradation [4, 5]. This concept, which we refer to as “strain-stabilization” has important implications for our understanding of collagen as an engineering material.