Document Detail


Micromechanics of the equine hoof wall: optimizing crack control and material stiffness through modulation of the properties of keratin.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  9914146     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Small-scale components of the equine hoof wall were tested to determine their mechanical roles in the morphological hierarchy. Macroscale tensile tests conducted on samples of the inner wall tubules and intertubular material showed a sixfold difference in mean initial stiffnesses (0.47 and 0.08 GPa, respectively), indicating that the inner wall tubules stiffen the wall along its longitudinal axis. The similarity in material properties of tubule and intertubular samples from the mid-wall suggests that tubules in this region offer only minor reinforcement along the longitudinal axis. Microscale tests conducted on rows of keratin strands from the inner wall tubules and intertubular material, and on intertubular keratin strands of the mid-wall, produced estimates of the stiffnesses of the hydrated matrix (0.03 GPa) and intermediate filament (IF; 3-4 GPa) components of the nanoscale ( &agr; -keratin) composite. The results from these tests also suggest that the properties of the keratin composite vary through the wall thickness. Birefringence measurements on inner wall and mid-wall regions agree with these observations and suggest that, although the keratin IF volume fraction is locally constant, the volume fraction changes through the thickness of the wall. These findings imply that modulation of the hoof wall properties has been achieved by varying the IF volume fraction, countering the effects of specific IF alignments which serve another function and would otherwise adversely affect the modulus of a particular region.
Authors:
M A Kasapi; J M Gosline
Related Documents :
11761446 - The effects of smiling or crying facial expressions on grip strength, measured with a h...
9495176 - Fatigue resistance of titanium-nickel alloy cast clasps.
12382726 - Commercial glass for high doses using different dosimetric techniques.
20590296 - Biomechanical and elastographic analysis of mesenchymal stromal cell treated tissue fol...
20868396 - Efficacy of eight commercial formulations of lime sulphur on in vitro growth inhibition...
11955486 - Is there a future for clinical laboratories? experience in the marche region, italy.
Publication Detail:
Type:  In Vitro; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Journal of experimental biology     Volume:  202     ISSN:  0022-0949     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Exp. Biol.     Publication Date:  1999 Feb 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1999-04-27     Completed Date:  1999-04-27     Revised Date:  2009-11-03    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0243705     Medline TA:  J Exp Biol     Country:  ENGLAND    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  377-91     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4. kasapi@ican.net
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Biomechanics
Biophysics / instrumentation
Birefringence
Desiccation
Freezing
Hair / chemistry,  physiology
Hoof and Claw / anatomy & histology,  chemistry,  physiology*
Horses / anatomy & histology,  physiology*
Keratins / chemistry,  physiology*
Stress, Mechanical
Tensile Strength
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
68238-35-7/Keratins

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Expression of olfactory receptors during development in Xenopus laevis.
Next Document:  Kinematics and muscle dynamics of C- and S-starts of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.).