The structural unit of solid state collagen complexes has been reported by Porter and Vanamee via EM and by Cowan, North and Randall via x-ray diffraction to be an ellipsoidal unit of 210-270 A. length by 50-100 A. diameter. It subsequently was independently demonstrated by us in dog tendon, dermis, and induced complexes. Its detailed morphologic, dimensional and molecular weight (MW) aspects have now been determined. It is pear-shaped in long profile with m diameters of 57 and 108 A. and m length of 263 A. (Fig. 1, tendon, KMnO4 fixation, Na-tungstate; Fig. 2a, schematic of unit in long, C, and x-sectional profiles of its thin, xB, and bulbous, xA portions; Fig. 2b, tendon essentially unmodified by ether and 0.4 N NaOH treatment, Na-tungstate). The unit consists of a uniquely coild cable, c, of ṁ 22.9 A. diameter and length of 2580-3316 A. The cable consists of three 2nd-strands, s, each of m 10.6 A.
Solid-state polymer adsorption for surface modification: the role of molecular weight
