抄録
In order to investigate the role of non-ionic materials in an extracellular matrix in collagen fibrillogenesis, the effects of dextrans and polyoxyethylenenonyl phenyl ethers (poly-ONPE) on the process of collagen fibril formation were studied turbidimetrically and microscopically in an in vitro solute system at various concentrations.
1. In the presence of poly-ONPE's with hydrophilic polyoxyethylene chains of different lengths, -(CH2CH2-0-)n-, more hydrophilic poly-ONPE's markedly stimulated the rate of collagen fibril formation. The addition of dextrans of various molecular weights was also found to increase the rate of collagen fibril formation. Both accelerative effects were similar in pattern when they were plotted against the chain lengths.
2. In 0.1M urea-inhibited samples, poly-ONPE's with various hydrophilic chain lengths not only suppressed the inhibition by urea but, when highly hydrophilic, also accelerated the rate of collagen fibril formation.
3. Little change in viscosity was observed in collagen solutions containing poly-ONPE's with various hydrophilic-lipophilic balances.
4. On the basis of both microscopic and turbidimetrical observations, this accelerative effect was considered to result from interaction between the hydrophilic chains of the non-ionic materials and collagen molecules.
It seemed that the enhanced precipitation of collagen molecules resulted from the orderly alignment of water-bound non-ionic materials and the resulting “excluded volume” effect.
