In Situ Detection of Degraded and Denatured Collagen via Triple Helical Hybridization: New Tool in Histopathology.

Degraded and denatured collagens are useful markers for physiological events (e.g., bone formation and aging) and pathologic conditions (e.g., cancer, arthritis, and fibrosis). Here we describe histological staining of such collagens using fluorescent collagen hybridizing peptide that can specifically bind to collagen strands by folding into triple helix. The method can report the amount of denatured collagen and/or collagen remodeling activity in tissues via localized fluorescence intensity and can be used in conjunction with conventional staining agents. The collagen hybridizing peptide probes can be used across species and collagen types, providing a versatile tool not only for pathology and developmental biology but also histology-based disease diagnosis, staging, and therapeutic screening.