Semester
Spring
Date of Graduation
2001
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MS
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Biology
Committee Chair
Phil Keeting.
Abstract
Type-I collagen's role in the formation of bone and its inherent strength have been well documented by studies in genetic diseases such as Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Type-I collagen's role in healthy bone, and the changes that occur to collagen during aging, which may eventually lead to osteoporosis, is less understood. Changes that may occur include differences in collagen production and in its processing such as differences in glycosylation and the hydroxylation of specific amino acid residues. Changes in the reducible and non-reducible crosslink content, or changes in the ratio of crosslinks to total collagen may also occur. The present study investigated (1) type-I collagen content in cortical bone from the human femur, (2) the mature, non-reducible pyridinium crosslink content of this bone, and (3) assessed the potential relationships of these findings to fracture resistance and to the age and sex of the bone donor. It was hypothesized that higher amounts of type-I collagen and pyridinium crosslinks per dry weight of bone would correspond to increased force required for fracture. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).
Recommended Citation
Rice, Michael Blair, "Effects of type-I collagen fractional composition and pyridinium crosslink content on cortical bone strength in the human femur" (2001). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 1268.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/1268