Chen, Wei LiangWei LiangChenSun, YenYenSunSUNG-JAN LINSHIOU-HWA JEEYANG-FANG CHENLin, G. ChihG. ChihLinSo, Peter T.C.Peter T.C.SoCHEN-YUAN DONG2024-01-172024-01-172007-08-31081946555016057422https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/638576Using the technique of second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy we obtained large area image of type I collagen from rat tail tendon as it is heated from 40°C to 70°C for 0 to 180 minutes. The high resolution images allowed us to investigate the collagen structural change. We observed that heating the tendon below the temperature of 54°C does not produce any change in the averaged SHG intensity. At the heating temperature of 54°C and above, we find that increasing the heating temperature and time leads to decreasing SHG intensity. As the tendon is heated above 54°C, a decrease in the SHG signal occurs uniformly throughout the tendon, but the regions where the SHG signal vanishes form a tiger-tail like pattern. By comparing the relative SHG intensities in small and large areas, we found that the denaturation process responsible for forming the tiger-tail like pattern occurs at a higher rate than the global denaturation process occurring throughout the tendon. Our results show that second-harmonic generation microscopy is effective in monitoring the thermal damage to collagen and has potential applications in biomedicine.Collagen | Second harmonic generation (SHG) | Thermal denaturationconference paper10.1117/12.6985242-s2.0-34548201172https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/34548201172