微重力下胶原蛋白纤维化及羟基磷灰石结晶的初步研究

在长期空间飞行过程中, 骨质丢失是一个严重问题. 羟基磷灰石(HAP)晶体是骨骼的主要成分, 骨骼中的胶原蛋白纤维在HAP生长结晶过程中起到关键作用. 研究了胶原蛋白纤维化过程在模拟微重力和常重力条件下的变化, 对以胶原 蛋白纤维作为模板生长出的HAP晶体形貌进行了观察. 结果表明, 不同浓度胶原蛋白溶液中形成的胶原蛋白纤维, 其内部孔隙数量和尺寸在模拟微重力条件下要明显大于常重力条件下, 胶原蛋白纤维内部孔隙的分布也不同于常重力条 件下的结果. 以模拟微重力条件下形成的胶原蛋白纤维为模板生长出的HAP 晶体主要为立方体状, 而以常重力条件下形成的胶原蛋白纤维为模板生长出的 HAP晶体形貌主要为板状. 该结果有助于未来进一步阐明空间骨质丢失的机理. 

Preliminary Studies on Collagen Fibrosis and Hydroxyapatite Crystallization under Microgravity

Bone loss during long-term space flight is a serious problem. Collagen fibrils in bones are a key factor of Hydroxyapatite (HAP) crystal growth in its crystallization process, which is a main constituent of bones. In this paper, the changes of collagen fibrosis process under simulated microgravity and normal gravity conditions were studied, and the morphologies of HAP crystals grown on the surface of collagen fibrils were observed. Results showed that the amount and the size of pores inside collagen fibers formed under simulated microgravity condition and different concentrations of collagen were significantly larger than that under normal gravity condition and different concentrations of collagen. The distribution of the porosity under simulated microgravity condition was different with that under normal gravity condition. The morphology of HAP crystals under simulated microgravity condition was mainly cube-shaped. However, under normal gravity condition, HAP crystals were mainly plate-liked. These preliminary results will help to clarify the mechanism of bone loss in space in future.