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Fig. 3 | Respiratory Research

Fig. 3

From: Fibroblast viability and phenotypic changes within glycated stiffened three-dimensional collagen matrices

Fig. 3

Collagen post-glycation increased the matrix stiffness. The stiffness of the non-cellular post-glycated matrices was measured using atomic force microscopy at days 7, 14 and 21. The values were normalized using that of the non-glycated matrices, i.e. control matrices (0 mM of ribose (R)) at the 7th day. The black arrows indicate the R concentration that rendered the collagen gels stiffer than the non-glycated gel at the 7th day. a. DMEM matrices. Collagen gels stiffened in a R dependent manner at the 14th day after glycation at 30 and 240 mM of ribose respect to the control non-glycated gels (p < 0.01). b. PBS matrices. The collagen gels stiffened with 240 mM of ribose at the 21st day after glycation (p < 0.01). a and b. This different stiffening dynamics suggests different cross-linking rates between these gels. The glucose present in DMEM could play a role in the stiffness developed, which could render a higher basal level of glycation before ribose treatment. Accordingly, the non-glycated DMEM gels (controls) showed greater stiffness than the glycated matrices at the 7th day. Phenomenon not observed in PBS matrices. The highest R concentration (240 mM) led to the stiffest conformation of both types of matrices (p < 0.01). p-values for 30 mM of ribose: + (0.01 < p < 0.05), ++ (p < 0.01); p-values for 240 mM of ribose: *(0.01 < p < 0.05), ** (p < 0.01)

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