The Stability of a Collagen Gel after UV Irradiation.

Type I collagen is the most common extracellular matrix protein in the human body that provides the basis of tissue structure and regulates cellular functions. In the process of vital activity, the components of the extracellular matrix, in particular collagen, are exposed to ultraviolet radiation. The purpose of this work was to study the effect of ultraviolet irradiation on the stability and structure of collagen fibrils. It has been shown that ultraviolet irradiation had a stabilizing effect on a collagen gel at a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL. The analysis of the diameters of collagen fibrils after ultraviolet irradiation by scanning electron microscopy revealed no change in their size. The area of spreading of cells cultured on collagen fibrils after ultraviolet irradiation was higher compared to the area of cells cultured on collagen fibrils without treatment. It was shown by IR-Fourier spectroscopy that ultraviolet irradiation caused a shift of the amide A band of collagen to a lower frequency region, which indicated a change in the structural order of collagen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]