Abstract
THE extent of hydration in connective tissues is of considerable physiological importance. Water retained by mucopolysaccharides and collagen is thought to have a pronounced effect upon the mechanical functioning of the tissue1. The rate and extent of swelling of collagen2 were studied in order to measure the hydration of collagen as well as to ascertain how this might be related to the degree of cross-linking of the protein. The objective of the work discussed here was to analyse the rate and extent of elongation of a dry tendon when it was immersed in solutions.
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References
Fessler, J. H., Nature, 179, 426 (1957).
Elden, H., Science, 128, 1624 (1958).
Glasstone, S., Laidler, K. J., and Eyring, H., “The Theory of Rate Processes”, 400 (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1941).
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ELDEN, H. Elongation of Rat-Tail Tendon on Hydration. Nature 183, 1681–1682 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/1831681a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1831681a0
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