Abstract
IN a recent communication by Rigby and Spikes1, structural breakdown of collagen is considered to be possible on its prolonged contact with water at a temperature as low as 40° C. Such alterations of human collagen are believed to be involved in the manifestation of rheumatic symptoms. Evidently, the authors are not aware of the fact that experimental evidence for the occurrence of gradual shrinkage and labilization of mammalian collagen in water at a temperature of 40–45° C. is on record. In the monograph2 to which the authors refer in connexion with the correlation of hydroxyproline content of various collagens and their temperature of instantaneous shrinkage, T S, work is cited3 proving the rupture of intermolecular hydrogen bridges of collagen in the temperature-range mentioned (denaturation). Table 16 in the accompanying monograph4 supplies substantiation. Hence, the speculative feature of their premise is removed.
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References
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GUSTAVSON, K. Hydrothermal Denaturation of Collagen. Nature 188, 419–420 (1960). https://doi.org/10.1038/188419a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/188419a0
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