Age-related dataset on the mechanical properties and collagen fibril structure of tendons from a murine model

Abstract

Connective tissues such as tendon, ligament and skin are biological fibre composites comprising collagen fibrils reinforcing the weak proteoglycan-rich ground substance in extracellular matrix (ECM). One of the hallmarks of ageing of connective tissues is the progressive and irreversible change in the tissue mechanical properties; this is often attributed to the underlying changes to the collagen fibril structure. This dataset represents a comprehensive screen of the mechanical properties and collagen fibril structure of tendon from the tails of young to old (i.e. 1.6–35.3 month-old) C57BL6/B mice. The mechanical portion consists of the load-displacement data, as well as the derived tensile properties; the structure data consists of transmission electron micrographs of collagen fibril cross section, as well as the derived cross-sectional parameters. This dataset will allow other researchers to develop and demonstrate the utility of innovative multiscale models and approaches of the extra-cellular and physiological events of ageing of current interest to ageing research, by reducing the current reliance on conducting new mammalian experiments.

A microstructural model of tendon failure

“…The macroscale tendon stress-strain curve can be split into four sections: I) the non-linear toe region, II) the linear region, III) the post-yield region, and IV) the macroscopic failure region. Existing microstructural models [1,2] are able to capture this behaviour when it resembles the idealised case presented in Figure 1, but we will show that a significant proportion of observed stress-strain curves [3] contain features that cannot be explained using these models. These features include second linear regions (in region III) and step-like failure behaviour (in region IV), as shown in Figure 2.…”

“…In Section 3, we introduce a new model which is capable of capturing the range of stress-strain behaviour observed by Goh et al [3]. By using distributions to represent the fibril yield and rupture stretches, we demonstrate the range of stress-strain behaviour that can be generated by varying the shape of the distributions, and their position relative to one another.…”

“…In this paper we use stress-strain data from Goh et al [3] to demonstrate the need for a new microstructural model of tendon failure. This stress-strain data was collected from failure tests carried out on mouse tail tendon fascicles, extracted from mice of different ages.…”

“…We now fit the ER model to stress-strain data from Goh et al [3]. This data was gathered from mouse tail tendon fascicles, extracted from mice of different ages, which were stretched to failure.…”

Loss of Tissue Regenerative Capacity in Aging - The Tendon

“…An important role for increased Rho has been reported, associating coiled-coil forming protein kinase (ROCK) activity in accelerating the ageing progress of aged TSPC, changing back to a morphology similar to young TSPCs upon treatment with Y-27632, a common ROCK inhibitor [4]. These changes which are observed in tendon with increasing age, may inherit a high density of intrafibrillar covalent cross-links and this could regulate tensile fracture resistance mechanics [16], making it more rigid and less elastic -propitious to rupture. Treating aged TSPC with ROCK-inhibitor, might reverse these age-related changes and rejuvenating effect on cell morphology and stiffness may be acquired.…”