Tamaño de fuente: 

The thermal stability of type I collagen from cow bones, either femur and ribs, was studied in thetemperature range from 250 K up to 670 K by means of dynamic mechanical analysis, scanning electronmicroscopy and infrared absorption spectroscopy. Several stages of denaturation were found in thetemperature range from 320 K up to 670 K. Dynamic mechanical analysis, scanning electron microscopyand infrared absorption studies reveal the denaturation processes which take place at the collagen includingalso the triple helix towards the random coil transition of the collagen fibrils.The differences between the denaturation process in the femur and ribs are highlighted and the physicalchemicalmechanisms controlling the denaturation processes are discussed.