TY - JOUR
T1 - Mechanical properties of single hyaluronan molecules
AU - Fujii, Tadashi
AU - Sun, Yu Long
AU - An, Kai Nan
AU - Luo, Zong Ping
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by grants from Arthritis Foundation and National Institutes of Health (R01AR44497). The authors also wish to thank Paulus J.J. Couvreur for his assistance.
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - Hyaluronan (HA) is a major component of the extracellular matrix. It plays an important role in the mechanical functions of the extracellular matrix and stabilization of cells. Currently, its mechanical properties have been investigated only at the gross level. In this study, the mechanical properties of single HA molecules were directly measured with an optical tweezer technique, yielding a persistence length of 4.5±1.2nm. This information may help us to understand the mechanical roles in the extracellular matrix infrastructure, cell attachment, and to design tissue engineering and drug delivery systems where the mechanical functions of HA are essential.
AB - Hyaluronan (HA) is a major component of the extracellular matrix. It plays an important role in the mechanical functions of the extracellular matrix and stabilization of cells. Currently, its mechanical properties have been investigated only at the gross level. In this study, the mechanical properties of single HA molecules were directly measured with an optical tweezer technique, yielding a persistence length of 4.5±1.2nm. This information may help us to understand the mechanical roles in the extracellular matrix infrastructure, cell attachment, and to design tissue engineering and drug delivery systems where the mechanical functions of HA are essential.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0021-9290(01)00205-6
DO - 10.1016/S0021-9290(01)00205-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 11934423
AN - SCOPUS:0036207865
SN - 0021-9290
VL - 35
SP - 527
EP - 531
JO - Journal of Biomechanics
JF - Journal of Biomechanics
IS - 4
ER -