The Collagen Microfibril Model as a Tool for Leather Scientists
Collagen, a structural protein of the extracellular matrix, gives strength and form to the skin, tendons, bones, cornea and teeth of mammals. The discovery by early humans that the skin of an animal, slaughtered for meat, could be preserved by exposing it to smoke or rubbing with fat, led to the production of leather. Through empirical methods, a number of tanning agents with a variety of properties were identified. The methods for production of leather evolved over several centuries as art and engineering with little understanding of the underlying science. Scientific advances of the twentieth century, including increasing use of collagen in medical device research, began to provide a basis for understanding the relationship between collagen structure and function in both biology and technology. The unique structure of fibrous collagens, a Gly-X-Y repeating sequence that results in a long triple helix that further associates into fibers, makes solution based studies of protein interactions challenging. Nearly twenty years ago, leather researchers at the Eastern Regional Research Center of the United States Department of Agriculture began the construction of a type I collagen microfibril model for the simulation of interactions of tanning chemistries with and between collagen triple helices. Insights gained, and possible new directions for research and development will be discussed.
collagen micofibril molecular simulation tanning mechanisms
Eleanor M.Brown
Fats, Oils and Animal Coproducts Research Unit, U.S.Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038
国际会议
北京
英文
1-6
2009-10-11（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）