Figure 1. Collagen mechanical damage and CHP binding.

(a) Simple schematic of triple-helical collagen organization in intact tendon microfibrils based on the Hodge–Petruska model⁷⁰. (b) Intact RTT fascicles were stretched in uniaxial tension to initiate mechanical damage within the tissue structure, followed by incubation with single-strand CF-CHP to allow triple helix-mediated hybridization to unfolded collagen strands, and washing to remove unbound CHP.