Crystallography Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Crystallography, including details on x-ray crystals, techniques, analyses, structures.

In situ tensile testing of human aortas by time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering.

Schmid F, Sommer G, Rappolt M, Schulze-Bauer CA, Regitnig P, Holzapfel GA, Laggner P, Amenitsch H

Austrian Academy of Science, Institute of Biophysics and X-ray Structure Research, Graz, Austria.

The collagen diffraction patterns of human aortas under uniaxial tensile test conditions have been investigated by synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering. Using a recently designed tensile testing device the orientation and d-spacing of the collagen fibers in the adventitial layer have been measured in situ with the macroscopic force and sample stretching under physiological conditions. The results show a direct relation between the orientation and extension of the collagen fibers on the nanoscopic level and the macroscopic stress and strain. This is attributed first to a straightening, second to a reorientation of the collagen fibers, and third to an uptake of the increasing loads by the collagen fibers.

Published 21 October 2005 in J Synchrotron Radiat, 12: 727-33.
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